New Danganronpa: Another Life of Mutual Killing
by au-the-author
Summary: [SYOC Closed] The despair came as a surprise for everyone. The world was just about to move on, finally full of hope again, but the kidnapping of sixteen students became global news. It was just as they feared: Another Life of Mutual Killing, in the famous Skyloft Hotel. And there is no hope for escape...for the students, or those watching from the outside. New Update!
1. Prologue

Wendell Worthington had just finished a meeting with the board of executives, and they were not happy at all. Skyloft had only a week to prepare for the new VIPS, and nothing had been finished. Hope's Peak cleared out the entire hotel just for these sixteen kids, and expected nothing but a royal treatment. It would be ten years since the anniversary of The Hope That Saved the World, and the newest enrollments for the rebuilt Hope's Peak would be the first students the school had had in well over a decade. Despair had almost claimed humanity, and it seemed like its claws would not release their death grip, but Future Foundation finally put a stop to it. Life was much, much better than 10 years ago, and there was a dramatic return to normalcy. But Hope's Peak was concerned with a different matter now, and Wendell Worthington had a lot on his plate.

He made it to the front desk of the empty hotel lobby, about to leave a note for the secretary to finish up his paperwork. Then he noticed that he was missing his lucky fountain pen.

"Great..." he grumbled, patting his pockets, but came up with nothing. "Just great."

He must've left it in the Meeting Room. Now he'd have to go back in there, with all the old men and their judging eyes. They're probably laughing at his stupidity even now.

Gritting his teeth, he took the elevator back to the second floor, where the Conference Room was located. The ride didn't take long, but he tapped his foot impatiently as he thought about what he was going to say to the Board. "Sorry, I forgot my pen," seemed a bit too...dumb. He decided he'd just wing it, maybe not saying anything. When he left the elevator, he noticed it was eerily quiet. The old men must've gone somewhere else. He trekked back to the Meeting Room, opening the door-

-and screaming at the top of his lungs.

All of the Executive Board sat slumped in their chairs, red painting their slit throats. They were still and pale, except for one man, who was not yet dead. He clutched his neck, a river of blood gushing through his fingers. His bulging eyes locked with Wendell's, and he lifted a quivering hand behind the scared young man.

Wendell spun around and met a tranquilizer dart stabbed into his chest. Stumbling, he swung at his attacker, who calmly stepped aside as he fell to the ground.

"Not yet," they said, their voice disguised by a heavy gas mask. "I need you. At least for now."

Wendell passed out, his last image of the assailant's thick boots.

* * *

Hello all!

So I've decided to put my old story on the back burner, because I was honestly getting tired of it. I'm not saying it's completely dead, but I wanted a different direction, and the news of the upcoming Danganronpa game has me hyped again! But don't worry, I won't give up on this story, because you guys are going to have a stake in it!

It's a SYOC, and is now closed! Here is our cast:

1\. **SHSL Psychologist** created by  Marganite

2\. **SHSL Knight** created by  dashunterman

3\. **SHSL Lolita Model** created by  fangirlandotaku

4. **SHSL Paranormal Investigator** created by Naynay101

5\. **SHSL Street Magician** created by 50Zoned

6. **SHSL Geomorphologist** created by  ashDanLand

7\. **SHSL Janitor** created by  Jayut

8\. **SHSL Ringleader** created by CupcakeQueenLuv

9\. **SHSL Butler** created by  king of the lion

10\. **SHSL Strategist** created by  Shun-Higinzu 

11\. **SHSL Fisherman** created by  Mechblade007

12\. **SHSL Ballroom Dancer** created by  Armonizzare

13\. **SHSL Billiard's Player** created by Mike73

14\. **SHSL Song Writer** created by SatoIchinose

15\. **SHSL Gardener** created by Aureate Praetor

16\. **SHSL Gamer** created by  DeadKingDread97

I want to thank everyone who submitted, we finally have our full cast! The story can now kick off with the despair, hope you guys are ready!


	2. Secret Case File 1

New World's Hope Database

Secret-Case File #56

Suspect: Komura, Kyoso. Gender: Male. Age: 32. Height: 192 centimeters.

Date last seen: December 13, 2024

Kyoso Komura was late. The biggest party in Tokyo, and he was late. His boss -and his wife - would not be happy, though the latter hadn't been happy with him in well over three years. He knew that she liked the much more lavish lifestyle that her previous spouse gave her, while all he could offer her was half of that. She said she married him for love, but nowadays she was saying that that was a mistake. And now she was living it up in the penthouse of the Amami Building, where he worked and also where the party was being held. The office was celebrating the boss's thirty-fifth birthday, and somehow that meant requesting Kyoso's wife show up an hour earlier than he did.

He knew his wife was cheating on him, but he was so desperate for a good image that he didn't care. Little did he know, his peers thought even less of him. A promotion meant nothing if you were seen as a loser.

He walked briskly down the sidewalk, cursing the district's poor electricity management. All of the trolleys were out of order, thanks to some bumbling idiot who forgot how to write. It was almost midnight, and everyone was already home, so he was the only one in this part of town that gave a rat's hat about the situation. All of the city officials would be celebrating a birthday, and not answering his calls.

"A promotion is not worth this," he mumbled to himself, drawing his thin wool coat tighter around his chest. A light snowfall was settling over the city, beautiful enough to cause any viewer to stop and stare for a while. But not - for one, he was too angry to care, and two, there was a suspicious noise coming from the alleyway next to him.

He paused, pulling out his phone and shining a light down the dark space (the cursed streetlights weren't operational either). All he saw was what one would expect in an alley: some litter, a cat scavenging for scraps. The cat gave him a cursory glance, then fled, running through a hole in the wall of a closed auto parts shop.

"Damn animals." Kyoso shook his head, turning off the light on his phone and stuffing it in his pocket. He continued on, estimating to be about five minutes away from Amami Building. He hoped that his co-workers hadn't engulfed all the food, he hadn't eaten since breakfast.

 _Crash!_

He spun around, seeing the silhouette of a figure shrouded in the darkness of the night, standing ominously under one of the broken streetlights. He fumbled to retrieve his cellphone, which fell out of his shaking hands and onto the ground. When he looked up, the stranger was already in his face, somehow silently crossing the distance between them.

"Please!" He begged, backing away - to trip on a broken slab of cement and fall on his butt. He scrambled to crawl away, but the stranger slammed their hand into his neck, rendering him immobile and unable to speak.

"I'm not going to kill you," they said. Kyoso couldn't tell if it was a man or woman, a child or adult, or even where he was anymore. He couldn't breathe, couldn't get enough air to think right. He tried crab-walking away, but the stranger stomped a booted foot down on his ankle. Red hot pain flared up his leg, but he couldn't even scream. He was sure this person had broken his larynx.

"Stop struggling. You'll just suffer." They reached into the pocket on their trenchcoat, pulling out a syringe full of viscous, clear liquid. "This will sting. Do not resist."

They jammed it into his calf with wild abandon, obviously inexperienced with a needle. Droplets of blood flew from the wound, and Kyoso groaned in pain. One of his hands clutched his leg, the other still poised around his neck. But he could feel his grip weakening. His head hit the ground. Everything was going dark. He was so drowsy, he just wanted to take a nap and forget the world.

"You'll be perfect." His assailant said, giving a wheezy laugh behind their gas mask.

Hope you guys enjoyed the first Secret Case File! There will be a couple more once the story gets underway, which should not be long at all! I'm so glad that I've been getting so many submissions from you guys, I'm _still_ deciding on some as I type this. It's down to a few spots left and I know that I'll unfortunately have to stop accepting some people soon! If I do, don't feel bad - I've either reached the cutoff point, or I felt your character wouldn't really fit with what I have planned for the story. But don't fret, I urge you to submit again if I do a sequel! Depending on how well this story goes, that is a likely possibility.

Well, I'll see you guys next time, and I want to say thanks to all the authors who have submitted and those who _will_ submit! Check out their profiles, you all will love their characters when the story gets started.


	3. Prologue: Part 2

Prologue - Part 2

Akiko Takumi stopped walking, eyeing a seagull perched on top of a wastebasket filled to the brim with old food and paper bags. The seagull pecked at a half-eaten burger, then decided that it was above consuming such a thing, flying off. Akiko wished she could just fly to the docks, it'd be much quicker. And more fun.

The letter said to meet at Hanami Harbor at precisely 10 o'clock A.M, but she was running late. An hour late, at that. She couldn't help that her usual schedule involved waking up at 12 in the afternoon. She did well enough to only be off by an hour. Anyway, it wasn't like the ship would just leave her behind: she would be the only passenger. Hope's Peak rented out the entire S.S. Fortitude, just for her. One would be flattered of course, but she hated being lonely. Maybe she could strike up a conversation with the captain, if they were willing.

The docks were now in view, bustling with activity. The white ships were glimmering in the dazzling sunlight, as were the waves in the sound. Akiko walked faster, adjusting the straps on her backpack and gripping the handle of her suitcase even tighter. Her heart was pounding in her chest.

Once she got to the center of the harbor, she looked around for her ride. All of the ships were large and glorious; some built for speed, some built for luxury, some built just to put any others to shame. And she had no idea which one was The Fortitude. It was rather harrowing actually, and all the excitement inside of her became anxiety. Thankfully, a savior appeared in the form of a tall, blonde, skinny man with a white suit and a sign.

"Akiko Takumi?!" He called, waving around a gangly arm. Several people had to duck under him to avoid getting smacked in the head. Akiko made eye contact with him, and he smiled, pointing to the sign with her name on it. "Akiko?"

She approached him with an ecstatic nod. "That's me!"

"Great! Fashionably late, are we?" The man laughed heartily, and Akiko joined him, relieved that her mistake was taken in good stride. "Don't worry about it, it gave us some time to finish the preparations. My name is Joshua."

He held out a hand, and Akiko shook it vigorously. It was never strange to see a foreigner, as she'd been surrounded by them all her life, but she'd been expecting someone Japanese. Granted, with the grand re-opening of the school, they were now accepting students from all over the world. It'd make sense to showcase the renewed sense of cultural identity with an American employee. She wondered if her any of her classmates liked to play pool.

"Now that you're here, we can immediately shove off. I can take your bag?" Josh extended his other hand, letting the sign fly into the breeze. Akiko giggled, handing it to him with a smile. "Right this way!"

The two weaved through the crowd, stopping at a gangplank leading to one of the bigger ships at the harbor. It was sleek and shining, and Akiko could tell there were several floors. And yet, it looked absolutely empty, with no crew or anything. How she was going to spend several hours on this giant thing, she had no clue.

Josh turned to her. "Are you ready to start the journey?"

Akiko felt a small flutter in her chest. She bit her lip, nodding once again, and walking onto the gangplank. She tried not to think about all she was leaving behind, because it wasn't like she wouldn't return. She just had to start the rest of her life, and there was nothing wrong with that. Nothing at all.

As soon as she and Josh set foot on the deck, the ship lurched. They were moving forward already, and she had to grip a rail to keep from falling. Josh, who seemed used to it, just set her bag down and shook his head. "The old man never liked waiting. But don't worry, he'll be fine. Let's get you situated, eh?"

"Situated" meant Josh dropping Akiko and her bags off at her room, and giving her instructions to meet him and the captain at the bridge in thirty minutes. Then he left her alone, in the middle of a luxurious room with a bed too big for her and a furry carpets. She wouldn't even have time to use the bed, the trip to the Skyloft Hotel would only take about three hours. The hotel was right in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, on an island whose name she couldn't pronounce. It was a hot vacation spot, but apparently, Hope's Peak reserved the entire place just for it's new students. Some would be flying there, or sailing like she was.

With a shrug, she located the in-cabin bathroom, stripping down for a quick shower. The walk to the docks had been long, and she was all sweaty. She hoped Josh didn't think she stunk. When she finished cleaning, she changed into a new outfit: a dark blue tank top and black vest, with blue jeans and white tennis shoes. She slipped on her iconic black fingerless gloves, which many of her fans recognized her for. She also checked to make sure her silver studs were still on her ear lobes. Satisfied, she checked her phone's clock to see that she had about fifteen minutes until she was due to meet the captain.

"Wouldn't hurt to be early. I was already late once." Leaving the cabin, she headed in the general direction that she thought the bridge would be. Those were in the front of the ship, usually. Probably. She had never gone to a "bridge" before.

The Fortitude was well away from the docks, so now all there was to be heard outside were the waves and seagulls. Back on the deck, Akiko turned to the tail of the ship and could barely see the outline of the inlet they departed from. This ship was as fast as one of the smaller boats, built for competitive races. Only the finest for Hope's Peak students.

Akiko turned her gaze to the sky, watching the fluffy white clouds rolling by, reflecting on the recent events in her life.. She'd done well in her career, and no one could deny that she was the best billiards player around. She never really expected Hope's Peak to offer her an invitation to the school for it, though. She'd be one of the first students that they had in ten years. It was a humongous honor for her. People online were calling the new class "The World's Biggest Hope." She certainly hoped she could live up to the title.

Looking up at the sky, she didn't notice the figure crouched behind her until they already had the syringe plunged into her neck. She didn't give much of a fight, as the drugs worked very quickly. She was unconscious before her body hit the ground.

* * *

 _Author's Note:_

 _And there's the official first chapter! What's going to happen to Akiko, huh? Well, nothing (yet). In the next chapter, we will get to meet her fellow classmates, in a situation I'm sure none of them anticipated, upupupu!_

 _Now, review reply time!:_

 _fangirlandotaku: *Passes out from breathing too heavily in excitement.*_

 _NuetheNerd: I'm excited, too! I didn't get an OC from you but I bet they would've been as cool as I wish I was._

 _I also want to thank Akiko's creator, Mike73, as well as the rest of the authors who submitted their OC's for the story. You guys are great and I really hope I do your characters justice in the next chapter! Of course, let me know how I do._

 _So, the next chapter will be up soon, and will be much longer than this one (introductions and all), and will also be the start of the immense despair. I'll see you all then!_


	4. Prologue: Part 3

Prologue: Part 3

Blinding sunlight. Akiko groaned, covering her eyes from the mean rays that seemed to shine right on her. And indeed, they did. She could tell she was outside by the scorching concrete on her back, and the gentle sound of waves against a shore.

She sat up, squinting her eyes to check her surroundings. She was on a sidewalk, with the beach to her right, and a massively grand building to her left. Some unattended parasols sat on the front lawn of the building, which had perfectly managed green grass and a few beach balls. It was rather rude for whoever put her there not to leave her under one of the umbrellas, she could've gotten a sunburn if she hadn't woken up when she did.

The full reality of the situation didn't hit her until she realized she wasn't on a ship.

"Whaaaaaaa-!" She jumped up, scanning the horizon for any sign of The Fortitude. All she saw were rolling waves, not even seagulls. "What the heck…"

She turned around and surveyed the building. It was pretty tall, at least twenty floors, and made of some pretty fancy materials that she couldn't name. She recognized the glossy marble and limestone, which constituted the pillars that held up the front of the structure. The windows were all wide and numerous, going along in straight lines both horizontally and vertically. It looked like...a hotel.

"Could it be?" Akiko murmured, heading towards the building. She broke out into a run, leaping over steps that led up to the building and almost tripping, but she didn't let that stop her. She threw open the front doors and was met with a dazzling sight. The foyer of the building was beautiful and enormous, with vaulted ceilings holding several chandeliers and intricate paintings of biblical scenes. It was a breathtaking sight.

"Wait!"

She looked down from the ceiling, seeing a tall boy rushing over to her. She braced herself, but he ran past her, to the front doors which had just closed shut. The boy cursed, pounding on the glass that didn't give under his heavy fists.

"Great job," another voice said snarkily. Akiko frowned, finally noticing all of the young people standing around the lobby. Some of them were pretty hard to miss, but the grandeur of the hotel had been distracting. She was sure that she was now at Skyloft, and that these kids were her classmates. But how they all got there was a mystery.

A very slim boy stepped forward, shushing the girl who just commented. "Don't be rude, she didn't know they were locked." He had a slight Irish accent and warm brown eyes.

"If she hadn't bum rushed the entrance, we could've stopped her!" contested the girl, with her own unique accent; Akiko guessed Brazilian. "Now we're back to square one...oh God-" the girl hugged herself in despair, finding a large sofa to curl up on. The other girl sitting on the sofa stood up, scrunching her nose.

The Irish boy approached Akiko, extending a hand. "I'm sorry about that. She's just a little worked up."

"Did something happen?" Akiko asked, feeling like she just did something wrong. She saw everyone looking disappointed, but a few of them gave her some reassuring smiles. Others were more upset.

"Not really - well, actually yes." He sighed and scratched the back of his head sheepishly. Akiko waited for him (somewhat patiently) to get to the point. "I - we're locked in."

"Locked in is an understatement," the boy who ran to the door spoke up. He was resting against it, looking defeated. "We woke up in this blasted place, and no one remembers how we got here."

"Really?" Akiko questioned, her interest piqued. "The same happened to me. Except...did you guys wake up inside?"

The Irish boy nodded. "We all got together and did a headcount, since I knew that there were supposed to be 16 of us here. You were outside the entire time?"

"I guess so," Akiko mumbled, anxiety filling her gut. This situation was getting weirder and weirder.

"Don't feel too bad about it, I'm sure Hope's Peak set things up this way for a reason!" said the boy optimistically. He extended a hand, and it took Akiko a second to realize he was about to introduce himself. She felt a bit skeptical, but decided she was being paranoid, and shook it vigorously. "My name is Julian MacAleese, but you can call me Jules. The Ultimate Janitor. Nice to meet you!"

Being the first students of Hope's Peak in ten years had made all of them instant internet celebrities (even though some of them already were). Their information was leaked to the web even before Hope's Peak sent out the acceptance letters. Using that to her advantage, Akiko had made sure to research most of her new classmates before departing on the trip. When she'd come across the SHSL Janitor on the forums, she'd been expecting some kid in a dinghy outfit with an obsession for cleaning. Jules was different.

He wore a professional outfit: black slacks and dress shoes with a dark grey buttoned shirt, which was under a beige cardigan that was only buttoned at the bottom. His black hair was long enough to cover his ears, but stopped at his right eyebrow. He had kind, almond shaped eyes that eagerly stared at Akiko's face. She realized she had yet to introduce herself.

"I'm Akiko Takumi, Ultimate Billiards Player," she said, giving him her best smile. He returned it, not letting go of her hand until she had to tug it away.

He cleared his throat awkwardly. "S-sorry."

"Jules is pretty weird, don't worry about it." The boy who had run to the doors joined the conversation, clapping the Janitor on the back good-naturedly. "But don't worry, I'm not! I'm Sidney, the Geomorphologist."

Sidney was pale, tall, and just a little muscular, with olive-green eyes and short blonde hair. He wore an indigo shirt with red and black stripes running down it, white shorts with lots of pockets, green shoes and an open blue jacket. Akiko remembered that he was the best in his field, studying and visiting various locations of interest, with his specialty being mountains and volcanoes. He had actually reported on a major finding about Mount Vesuvius a month ago, which had scientists theorizing that there could be another eruption there soon (which Sidney himself said was highly unlikely, but the media loved their "natural disaster" stories).

"Nice to meetcha."

He smiled. "Yeah. Some strange circumstances though. Someone probably left our luggage outside."

"I can tell you, it's not outside," Akiko informed him dolefully.

Sidney blanched. "But if it's not...then Molly-" He clammed up, looking back outside dejectedly.

Before Akiko could ask who Molly was, Jules tapped her on the shoulder. "Why don't you go meet everyone else? We've already gotten well acquainted with one another." He threw a furtive glance at a scowling boy sitting at a table, who clutched a deck of cards.

Akiko nodded, telling the boys goodbye and taking a moment to survey her surroundings. The foyer was rather large, with lots of floor space: the center of it had a kind of lounge area with sofas and a coffee table, as well as an elegant rug. The front desk sat a few feet away from this area, where a boy was studying it. There were a cluster of tables and chairs that sat along one wall, which was really an entranceway to some other area, but was closed off by metal shutters. A glowing neon sign said "Hotel Restaurant." Along the opposite wall were two more blocked entranceways, and one wooden door marked "Electrical." A large, grand staircase sat between two elevators, which both had signs hanging on them saying they were out of order. The staircase itself was blocked off with satin ropes, and it seemed no one dared to remove them. Students were scattered all about, either by themselves or in small groups.

Akiko, taking a deep breath, walked towards a pair of girls who were speaking animatedly to each other.

The taller of the two was waving her arms around, oblivious to Akiko as she approached. "I can't wait for you to come to the circus! You'll get VIP status, o'course. Hey, I might be able to put you in the show, too!"

The other girl nodded, about to speak until she noticed Akiko's eager form. "We have an audience, fellow performer."

The first girl spun around, her face lighting up as her eyes landed on the Ultimate Billiards Player. "Hiya, bub! The name is Elena Grey. What's yours?"

Akiko remembered that Elena is the energetic leader of one of the world's most entertaining travelling circuses. The mix of her bubbly personality and charisma could make her sell out a show instantly. Her appearance resembled her onstage outfit, with a white button-up shirt under a red and gold tailcoat, and black short-shorts and knee high boots over tan tights. She had mocha skin and a small birthmark on her nose, and long, wavy dark brown hair that reached the bottom of her back. Once Akiko told her her name, she gave her a deep bow. "A pleasure to meetcha!"

"Fanfare is unnecessary, at least until I've told you who _I_ am," the other girl chuckled, adjusting the straps on her brown backpack. "Annika Elkund is the name. Street Magician-ing is my game." Akiko found Annika as one of the most popular subjects on the forums. She was one of the best known magicians in Sweden, getting her big start on the streets, and despite being offered much bigger, grander venues, she preferred staying where she'd always been. It was ironic considering Hope's Peak came by her on accident, but they recognized her talent and immediately offered her a spot on the roster. She had on a tattered, sleeveless tan hoodie-vest over a dusty green tank top, as well as worn blue jeans which were patched up in several areas. Her silvery long bangs framed her pale heart-shaped face, and her orange eyes were under thick silver eyebrows. When Akiko looked down, she saw Annika wiggling her toes through the ends of her red sneakers. For someone doing so well, she didn't look like it.

"Magician-ing" Annika pondered with a grin. "There's a word."

"I know right? I'm so smart," Annika smirked, patting Elena on the back. The taller girl was still bowing, but jumped right back up like a spring at the girl's touch.

"Aren't you guys excited? We get to spend a week in this huuuuge place!" Elena spun around, gazing up at the vaulted ceiling with her arms outstretched. "It's like...like a huuuge circus tent!"

"Have you not seen anywhere other _than_ a circus tent?" Annika asked playfully. She suddenly grew quiet, holding a finger up to her chin in thought.

"You okay?" Akiko asked concernedly.

"It's a little strange, isn't it?" the Street Magician replied, looking down at the floor. "It's unorthodox making us wake up in the hotel lobby with no recollection of how we got here. Like, no one can remember _anything_?"

Elena brushed it off with a wave of her hand. "I'm sure it's Hope's Peak doing something special."

"Are you serious? This can't be legal."

Elena shrugged. "I love surprises!"

"But our luggage. Have you seen it?"

Akiko nodded. "That is true. I don't even have my stuff, and I woke up outside."

Elena's brow furrowed, but she still kept up a nervous smile. "Come on guys, it's nothing! We'll get our answers soon. They're probably waiting for us all to get to know each other, so-" Elena shoved Akiko toward another conversing group of students. "Get to it, bub! We'll talk later!"

Akiko stumbled, bumping into a small girl's back. The boy in front of her had to prevent her from falling, while Akiko steadied herself. When she looked up, the girl watched her with apprehension.

"A-are you trying to attack me?" She asked, taking a step back.

"No, no!" Akiko stammered. "It was an accident, and I apologize!"

The girl sighed in relief, laying a hand on her chest. "Oh, it's okay then. You're the Billiard Player, right?"

Akiko nodded enthusiastically, glad there were no hard feelings. "And you are-?"

"Mai Yumiko...the songwriter."

Akiko blinked, trying to recall a few facts about the girl. She knew that she was a somewhat private person regarding her background, and being a total sweetheart, the top detectives on the Web didn't pry too much into her life. Akiko did remember that a few fanboys that caught her in public would hear her humming sweet music to herself, but she clammed up at the sight of them.

"Hello?"

Akiko blushed, embarrassed that she got lost in thought again. Mai wore a simple outfit comprised of a pink cardigan and black sleeved top, with a black skirt, pink tights, and black strapped shoes. She had straight black hair in a ponytail and fringe on the front, and dark green eyes. Akiko remarked on her perfectly clear face: not a blemish or mark anywhere, but there was a musical note-shaped mark on the side of her neck.

Mai gave her a small smile, accepting the compliment graciously. "I like to drink water, I suppose."

"Definitely nothing wrong with that. I'm no stranger to water" The boy next to her grinned, offering his hand to Akiko. The Billiards Player had to marvel at his apparel: a tunic with a single elbow-length gathered sleeve and a sash tied around his waist, with slipper shoes and a medium-length cloak. A light-colored knit scarf was wrapped around his neck and he gripped a feathered hat in his other hand. He was tall, with a somewhat broad build and short, dusty rose hair and blue eyes. "I am Renzo Shiokawa, Ultimate Fisherman. How do you do?"

"Ah, my dad knows all about you!" Akiko exclaimed, shaking his hand vigorously. Renzo had won many competitions, save for one, that Akiko's father was still very sore about. The sixteen year old had caught a variety of exotic fish, and even made recent news by hooking the second-largest bass in the world. He was definitely still a hot topic for the more rustic types, and even a few others. "Pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise…" His smile faltered. "Would you happen to have any idea what's happened to us?"

Akiko shook her head apologetically. "I'm sorry, I'm in the same boat."

"Maybe we'll get some news, soon?" Mai said, clasping her hands. "It shouldn't be long now? You are the last one, right?"

"I…should be." Akiko threw a glance at the front doors. "Didn't see anyone else outside."

"We'll get to the bottom, I'm sure." Renzo's smile returned, a touch of encouragement in his tone. "Good things come to those who wait."

"Don't you mean 'good things come to those who _bait'?_ " Akiko nudged him in the chest with her elbow, but he stared at her blankly. With a weak chuckle, she excused herself and headed over to a trio of interesting looking students, who stood next to the grand staircase that was blocked off with rope.

The first student, a pretty thin boy, noticed her immediately, pushing himself in front of the other two. And Akiko certainly noticed him as well, as he looked the most outlandish out of all the students there. He wore a red silk shirt over a chainmail undershirt, along with long blue pants and high lacing black boots. A sheathed Arming sword hung on the side of his pants, along with a wooden shield on his back. He had pale skin, animated green eyes, and short blonde hair.

"Come hither, milady!" He beckoned with a strong voice, extending a hand for Akiko to come close. The teens behind him regarded the scene with humor in their faces. "I bid thee, what be thy name?"

"Er-Akiko?" She was rather reluctant to approach anymore, eyeing the sword with trepidation. The boy saw her hesitation, and laughed.

"Thou must not be afraid! Tis only Hellreaver, my trusted and most fierce blade!" He practically ripped it out of it's sheath, holding it up for Akiko to marvel at. It had the opposite effect, making her feel queasy at the sight of the sharp tip and glistening metal. "Crafted just for me!"

"I think you're scaring her," the girl, dressed in a Lolita outfit, behind the strange boy pronounced.

Akiko admitted, "Just a little."

Looking disheartened, the boy lowered his sword and replaced it in his sheath. "A thousand apologies, milady. I meant no discomfort."

"It's okay!" Akiko assured, holding up a hand. "It's a pretty weapon. Fitting for the...um-"

"-Knight, Gregory Gawain! Here to serve and protect!" He lowered to one knee, his back straight and his head bowed. She remembered reading about him: he trained himself since he was a small child, and gained noticeable fame after saving the British Prime Minister from a terrorist attack at age 17. He'd been invited to London to be knighted by the Queen herself. And...he was still kneeling before her. Akiko was unsure just how to proceed, but the Lolita girl placed a hand on his shoulder.

"That is enough, Mr. Gawain. None of us are superior to you." Mumbling his apologies, The Ultimate Knight stood up and dusted off his pants awkwardly. The girl stepped forward, giving Akiko a little curtsy that Akiko almost returned. "My name is Mona Lisa Viginère, very pleased to meet you."

The slightly French accent made a flood of memories rush to Akiko's head. She was the Ultimate Lolita Model (also being called the Ultimate Doll on the Web). Her mother was a French Lolita fashion designer, and her daughter was one of the most famous idols on the scene right now. She was said to be perfect in every way, and Akiko recalled this detail as she studied the pristine movements that Mona was careful to take. Her overall facial appearance was Japanese, but the rest of her was very French. She wore a baby blue, lacy blouse and a pink ribbon cardigan buttoned in the middle on top. Her hoop skirt was pale pink, with white lace and bright pink ribbons on the bottom, and she had pale blue fur-topped platform boots with white laces. She wore two large pink ribbons on each side of her golden knee-length blonde hair, which was styled in elegant ringlets. Her dark blue eyes were framed in a noticeable amount of makeup, as she appeared to be very pale, which Akiko theorized was due to powder.

Akiko replied, "A pleasure to meet you, too! I've heard a lot of great things about you."

"Thank you. I take much pride in my work. And truly, much of it is done by the photographers."

"Oh please, you look absolutely amazing!" Akiko scoffed. "You gotta give me some tips one day. I don't really like makeup, but I could do with something new eventually."

Mona smiled daintily. "That sounds like a wonderful idea."

Gregory mumbled something else, prompting the two girls to turn to him. "What was that?" Akiko asked, but Gregory just shook his head.

"He said, 'Milady needs no makeup to look beautiful,'" the second boy in the group, whom Akiko had almost forgotten about, spoke up. "A rather nice sentiment, I think. No need to hush it up."

Whilst the Ultimate Knight and Lolita Model looked away from each other awkwardly, Akiko gave her attention to the third student. He wore a black vest, a white dress shirt and black tie underneath, with black dress pants and boots. He had Japanese and Italian features, with curly brown hair that was combed back, and warm brown eyes amid a rather stoic expression, though his lips curled upwards slightly. "Akiko Takumi, was it? I am the Ultimate Butler, Felix Adessi. How do you do?"

Felix Adessi had had a somewhat strange backstory to his talent. He gradually got into the work while living with his mother, learning how to make tea and serve guests, as well as clean. His mother took note of this and taught him proper etiquette as well as how to a more-than-hospitable host, taking more care of others than himself. He didn't just put himself in the service of his mother's company, he was also employed by various government officials and even royals, some of which having hot debates over who would get the rights to him during special events and such.

Akiko shook his gloved hands, noting his gentle, but firm grip. He, like the Ultimate Lolita Model, was careful to move flawlessly and pristinely. She supposed one couldn't be clumsy to be called the Ultimate Butler. "I'm fine, thank you. How are you?"

He sighed, "I could be better. I do not mean to be a burden on your mind, but I am rather worried about our predicament."

Akiko nodded in understanding. "I think we all are. It's pretty weird. I don't even know what time it is."

"Oh, let me…" Felix reached into his right vest pocket, pulling out a small golden watch on a chain. He studied it for a moment, then returned it to his pocket, announcing "It is four o'clock, on the dot."

Akiko gasped, "Four?!" That meant she'd been knocked out for four hours, and in that time, removed from a cruise ship and dropped on the outside of Skyloft Hotel. It only took three hours to get to the island from the harbor, so there was an extra hour unaccounted for. She racked her brain trying to remember how she fell asleep, but couldn't think past arriving at her cabin on the S.S. Fortitude. She was already developing a headache.

Felix rested both hands on his shoulders, gently shaking her. "Are you quite alright? Your eyes started to cross…"

Akiko blushed. "I-it's nothing. I was just-"  
"I am trained in first-aid, if you'd like me to-"

Akiko brushed him off, turning around to leave. "It's okay! Really. I'll see you later." She didn't want to leave so abruptly, but she was starting to feel sick to her stomach and she wanted to get all of these introductions over with. If their host was simply waiting for her to meet everyone before starting whatever he or she had planned, then it was best to keep moving.

Unfortunately, the rest of the class was spread out, deciding not to congregate in small groups. Most of them looked very antisocial, and one or two of them absolutely hostile.

This would be fun.

Akiko decided to start with the friendliest looking one first, standing in a corner inspecting a potted China Doll Plant: a short, tan girl with blue crinkling eyes and long brown hair with barrel waves that became straight toward the ends. She wore a red and blue plaid top, simple beige pants and boots with a dusting of dirt over them. She also had a blue jacket that hang well below her waist, with bulging pockets, and a straw hat sitting crookedly atop her head.

When Akiko got close, the girl gave her a small smile and nothing else. There was a terse moment between the two before Akiko cleared her throat and offered her hand. Handshakes seemed to be working so far.

The girl stared at it for a second, and just before Akiko decided that this was a bad idea, gripped it with her own. "Hi," she squeaked quietly.

Akiko replied. "Hi."

It was another moment before she spoke again. "My name is Vanamo Betula."

Giving no other information about herself, Akiko had to recall from the forums that she was the Ultimate Gardener, having maintained a beautiful garden in her mother's house and gaining the attention of a local network as the perfect candidate for a gardening show. Akiko had only seen a few clips of the show online, but that girl was much different than this one. _That_ girl was bright and energetic, as well as charismatic, charming her viewers with her sophisticated technique and good looks. _This_ girl shared the looks and the smile, but this smile seemed fake.

Akiko tried to start some small talk. "I've seen a bit of your show. It's really cool."

Vanamo continued to smile, but remained silent.

"Okay. I guess I'll just talk to you later, then." Turning to leave, Akiko was very surprised by the sudden groan behind her. She spun around to see Vanamo in intense distress.

"I'm so sorry, I don't mean to come off as rude, it's just I'm afraid and…" The words spilled out all at once, and she must've been holding her breath while Akiko had been talking, as she started panting so hard she couldn't even finish her sentence. "I-I can't-"

"Hey hey, it's okay!" Akiko knew she probably shouldn't touch the nervous gardener, and gave her a minute to collect herself.

When Vanamo finished her bout of coughing, she straightened up and fixed her hair. Face red, she continued "I just don't do well in unfamiliar situations. I thought our arrival would be a normal one."

Akiko reassured, "I totally get that. Just remember that we're all kind of freaked out, and there's nothing wrong with that. But, if we're to be classmates, we have to trust each other, eh?"

Vanamo nodded, putting on a more genuine smile. "Of course. Again, I'm sorry about all that. I'm not really as confident as I portray myself to be."

"Well, we've got to face what life throws at us head on, right?" Akiko said. "We don't have to act like someone we're not, but I know for me, I fake it sometimes."

"Fake it?"

Akiko replied, "Yeah, fake it. Sometimes I get in front of a crowd and I just want to run away and hide. But instead, I hold my head up high and go about my business, like I'm the only one that matters. I know I'm not, but it helps me focus. And when I'm in the game, everything melts away: it's just me, the cue, and the billiards."

The Ultimate Gardener sighed. "I feel the same way. I mean, in front of the cameras I've got to be very cordial and friendly. When it's just me and the plants though, it's like things make sense." She closed her eyes in bliss, going back to some happy memory. "Thank you...uh…"

"Akiko," Akiko answered for her. Exchanging another smile, the two said goodbye and Akiko walked to the middle of the lobby, where two students sat on sofas. One looked to be asleep in an easy chair, and the other sat far away from him, taking up the end of a love seat by curling up into a ball. She was the student that got so freaked out when Akiko arrived, and so the Billiard's Player decided to talk to the other Ultimate first. He was the only one comfortable enough be so close to her.

He had light skin, spiky black hair and black glasses. He was fairly muscular, wearing a black and white jacket with big pockets, blue jeans, and black dress shoes. Akiko couldn't see what color his eyes were as they were closed, but she could tell he must've been very smart.

He cracked them open as she was leaning over his face, catching her by surprise. She jerked away, and he chuckled.

"Another stalker. Typical." He sat up, adjusting his glasses and regarding Akiko with a sneer. "Well? Aren't you going to introduce yourself?"

Akiko wanted to say "Do I have to?" but decided against it. "Akiko Takumi. Nice to meet you." She thought about offering her hand, bud decided against that, too. She doubted he would've taken it.

"The Billiards Player, isn't it? An intriguing talent. You must be very knowledgeable about physics and geometry, then."

Akiko shrugged. "I guess I am."

The boy frowned. "You guess, or you know? Make up your mind, stalker."

Akiko, growing annoyed, waved a fist in the air. "Why don't you just tell me who you are?"

Repositioning his glasses, the boy answered, "I am the Ultimate Strategist, Jax Ramsey, and probably the smartest person here."

Akiko hadn't read much about Jax Ramsey, but she knew a lot about the Ramsey family. They were very prestigious, having a hold on some of the world's biggest international corporations, and only associated with those of the same caliber. When they made the news, it was over something extravagantly large, and probably unnecessary. Jax himself was relevant because of the amount of competitions he won that required he think at least five steps ahead of his opponent, winning games like chess and even battleship easily.

"Why the comment about intelligence?" Akiko asked.

"I suppose it wasn't. But establishing dominance is important in a situation like this. We know nothing about each other, and if worst comes to worst, I may need to take up some kind of leadership role."

Akiko crossed her arms. "I doubt anyone would follow someone so pretentious."

"Trust me, if shit hits the fan, you'll want me to clean it up. Pardon my French."

"That's not gonna happen. What do you think this is? A kidnapping?"

Jax blinked, completely serious as he said, "Could be."

A wail erupted from the female student curled up in the ball, as she unfurled herself and buried her head in the armrest of the chair. "Oh no, no, no, no-"

Akiko threw an accosting glance at the Strategist, who threw up in his hands to say "Not my fault at all." Akiko knew the girl wouldn't stop until she spoke to her (well, she hoped that were true) and sat next to her in the love seat, trying to console her

"Hey! Stop! It's okay." To tell the truth, Akiko had no idea just how okay it was, and Jax had just made her realize this, but she knew she had to keep up the hope that all of this was nothing serious at all. At least until this girl ceased her fit. "You'll be okay!"

"How could you know that?" the girl murmured, lifting her head from the armrest. Akiko noted her long, thick black hair styled into a curly ponytail and held together by a black and white bow. She had indigo-colored eyes and pale skin. She wore a long, dark purple poncho that extended past whatever she wore underneath, pinned at the top with a blood red bow. Her knee-length boots were black, with a diamond design on the front of them. Akiko got a very good look at her boots, as the girl was throwing her legs - and arms - about. "Nothing could be okay…"

"Panicking won't help the situation." Akiko stated. "The most important thing is that we keep a calm head."

The girl stopped - just stopped. Her tears ceased flowing, and she sat the proper way in the seat with a completely neutral expression. It honestly scared Akiko a little bit.

"Good point. You seem to be a very outgoing person, huh?" She didn't sound the least bit sad! Instead, she spoke in hushed tones to Akiko, like she was telling a secret. "And your hair. Your outfit; you don't have a mother in your life, do you?"

Akiko leaped up, feeling more uncomfortable by the second. "Since you're feeling better, I'll just be on my way."

"Don't you want to know my name? You'll stay to listen to me, even though you don't want to." She watched as Akiko fidgeted nervously. "It's Violeta Morales. Ultimate Psychologist."

Akiko vaguely remembered reading that she'd been employed in several offices around Brazil before moving to bigger ones in both the United States and Europe, and had tackled some of the more desperately troubled minds of the young and old. Her success rate for deducing trauma was second to none. But it was also rumored that she'd brainwash some of her patients, which Akiko thought was just some childish lies. But she definitely got the creeps from this girl.

"Let her alone, Violeta. Stalker needs to meet everyone else," Jax said, eyes closed and relaxing in his easy chair again.

Violeta stared at him, cocking her head. "I could have a field day with you."

Jax scowled, but didn't reply. Akiko took the opportunity to scurry away, not wanting to deal with those two anymore.

There were only three more left to see, and none of them looked particularly happy. Akiko headed to the very last girl, who was the closest, sitting in another easy chair away from the center of the lobby. She wore a plain, navy blue ankle length dress with short sleeves, and black flats for shoes. Her jet black hair came down to her middle back, and her green eyes looked very, very tired. She looked Akiko up and down when she approached, giving her a little smile. "Hello there!" She had a distinct British accent.

"Hey hey." Akiko paused, nervously wondering whether to ask what was on her mind.

The girl pursed her lips. "Something the matter?"

"Well, I was going to ask if you were okay? You look-"

"-tired? Jet lag. It's a pain," the girl finished, before sighing. "I just want a nap, but otherwise, I'm fine dearie."

Dearie? That's a new one. Akiko nodded, a moment of silence passing before she asked "So what's your name?"

Surprised, the girl furrowed her brow. "You don't know me?"

Akiko admitted she didn't. The girl mumbled something, then shook her head and smiled so widely Akiko was sure her cheeks hurt. "Don't worry about it. I'm used to getting recognized constantly. Once you hear my name I'm sure you'll realize...I'm Amelia Wood, the Ultimate Ballroom Dancer."

The Billiards Player did remember reading about the girl and her various competition winnings, but nothing too specific or significant. She stared blankly at the Brit, who waited for her to shower her with praise. When it didn't come, she deflated. "Whatever. Doesn't matter. It was nice to meet you."

She said it in a way that didn't seem particularly truthful, but Akiko decided to take it and leave. The second to last student sat in a corner of the lobby, far away from everyone else, shuffling through a deck of cards with creatures on them. He sat at a round table that he must've dragged here, as the other tables of the sort were clustered near a closed off entrance-way. He had black hair with a red tint to it, under a red and black beanie, with glasses and a skull necklace that spilled over a black hoodie. He wore black cargo pants and converse, and a sort of utility belt with one side having a PSP and Nintendo 3DS while the other side had 3 decks, one of which was in his hands. He was scowling before Akiko had gotten there, and kept scowling when she arrived.

"Hey there," Akiko greeted, taking a seat opposite of him. He refused to look up from his deck, which were Yugioh. Akiko thought he was being rude until she noticed the headphones in his ears. She rapped her knuckles on the table, prompting him to look up at her - and scowl.

"What do you want?" He questioned in another distinctive British accent.

Eye twitching, Akiko introduced herself and asked for his name and talent. With a shrug, he answered "Wittman. Ash Wittman. The Ultimate Gamer."

She remembered him, and during her research, had thought he had a very cool talent, as she loved video games. Ash was a connoisseur of not just video games, but other types as well: card games, board games, word games, puzzle games, etc. He won many an international competition, and was knowledgeable about the popular folklore surrounding some really iconic games.

She tried some polite conversation. "I think your talent is cool. You must get offered lots of free games, huh?"

"I don't accept endorsements." He answered simply. He had kept his headphones on, but Akiko was no longer sure if he was even playing music.

Akiko tried, "What's your favorite kind of game?"

"I have many." He shuffled his cards again, then pored over each one like they were treasure maps.

Akiko knew when she wasn't wanted, and this was one of those times - she excused herself, her words falling on deaf ears, and approached the very last student that she had to meet. She prayed he wasn't a weirdo.

He was staring at the front desk, which had been wiped clean of everything except a solitary table lamp. He had spiky, dark brown hair and pale skin, with a skinny build. He had on a zipperless navy blue hoodie with a smiley face on it, and black, ripped skinny jeans, with dark gray sneakers. A checkered bracelet and a skull bracelet hung on his right arm. A dark green messenger bag was slung over his shoulder. When Akiko got close, he turned to meet her, and she caught the rest of him: he had a bored expression, with freckles and black glasses on. However, his left eye was green, and his right eye was hazel. Akiko found herself staring in them, and he cleared his throat to gain her attention.

"I'm sorry...that was rude." She apologized, but the boy shook his head.

"It's okay. I'll just be rude to you, and then we'll be even." He said it so seriously that Akiko almost thought it wasn't a joke. She laughed, even though his expression didn't change.

"What's your name?" Akiko asked.

He answered, ever stoically, "Nishiki Hitama." Akiko drew a blank. She had never heard of him before. She knew that there were supposed to be sixteen students, but the forums could only dredge up enough info on fifteen of them, and there were lots of frustrated fanboys out there who wondered why Hope's Peak was so hush-hush with the last student. This guy was completely new and unknown to her. The best course of action would be to find out as much as she could.

"So what's your talent?"

"I am a Paranormal Investigator." He told her.

She scoffed, "So you hunt ghosts? I didn't think they were real."

"They are very much real. Among other things…" he leaned in close to Akiko, and she felt a shiver run down her spine. "Some very terrible, nasty things."

Not backing down, she said "Forgive me for being skeptical. I just don't believe it."

Nishiki didn't react, only blinking. Akiko couldn't stop staring at his mismatched eyes. "It doesn't matter if you believe it. They'll still be real. And you'll both continue your existences, and I'll have to clean up the pieces of people who refuse to open their minds." He backed away, crossing his arms and looking back at the front desk. "Allow me to tell you something?"

Swallowing, Akiko replied, "Sure. What?"

"This place reeks. Something evil is here." He wrinkled his nose in disgust. "You can't feel it, but I can. You can't see them, but I can."

"Them?" Akiko pondered, genuinely curious. "Who are they?"

He turned back to her, his eyes wide. "Lost souls. They are screaming. They never-"

All of a sudden, a screeching noise filled the air, catching the attention of every student. It was an intercom, steadily crackling to life as a voice became less and less fuzzy. Akiko had never heard this voice before, but it was like a child's, high pitched and full of excitement.

"Children! Please report to the second floor Conference Room. The elevator is out of order, so you'll have to use the stairs." The intercom cut off, leaving the Ultimates scratching their heads.

"Who could that have been?" Renzo wondered aloud. "They certainly had a unique voice."

"Forget that. The stairs are blocked." Sidney stated, waving a hand at the rope. "I don't know how they expect us-"

"-Stop. Look." Nishiki held up a hand, and all of them ceased their nervous whispers. The rope snapped loose from it's hooks, retracting into the polished wood that made up the railing of the staircase. Their way was no longer blocked.

"Huh. Kinda cool!" Elena remarked, elbowing Annika in her side. "Pretty neat trick, huh?"

"Not a trick…"Annika mumbled, stepping forward. "Our host doesn't want to meet us down here. So let's go."

"Milady, wait!" Gregory leapt in front of her, startling her with his quick movements. "Methinks I should lead. Thou dost not know what could be in store for us."

Annika groaned. "I'm sure I can handle it, G.G." She tried to walk past him, but he spread his arms out wide, blocking the way yet again.

"I bid thee, let me lead!"

Groaning, Jax pushed them both out of the way, walking up the stairs with no interruptions. Stunned, Gregory gritted his teeth and unsheathed Hellreaver. "Let us go thither."

The rest of them followed the Knight as he traveled cautiously up the steps, nervously whispering to each other. Nishiki said nothing, looking bored again, while Akiko tried to settle the butterflies in her stomach. Their situation was just getting stranger, and a nagging thought was pervading her mind. What if things were not all right, at all?

The group, once making it to the second floor, saw that Jax was waiting for them in front of a closed door marked Conference Room 1. He was leaning against it, arms crossed, and looking annoyed. "Took you long enough. It was locked, and I suspected that you all had to be here before-"

With a click, the door swung open on its own. Smiling, Jax moved inside, and the students followed close behind. Inside the conference room was a long wooden table, with just enough seats for all of them. Jax had already sat down, close to the head of the table, though that seat was left empty. The rest of them filled up spots, sitting with whomever they were most comfortable. Akiko found herself between Nishiki and Elena, who flashed her an encouraging smile. Jules sat across from her, nervously shaking his leg.

When everyone was seated, the door swung closed, and there was an awkward silence between them all.

Amelia yawned. "What now?"

"Our host should be here any second now." Mona speculated. "I am sure we can wait a little bit longer."

With a click of his tongue, Ash said "But why are we waiting? This is pointless."

"They're going to make an entrance of course." Jax answered curtly. "Why else would they set up all of this so strangely?"

"Our host must be very vain, then," Violeta remarked, still with her unreadable expression.

Sidney picked at one of his fingernails. "I wouldn't doubt it."

"Well can we talk about why he or she decided to knock us all out before we got here? That's just uncalled for!" Jules complained.

Gregory growled. "Methinks evil is afoot."

Akiko, remembering what Nishiki said in the foyer, grew pale. "I think it is…"

No one responded to her words, which sunk into their spirits like a ship sinking into a vast ocean. No one knew what to expect anymore. And as they waited, despair began to creep in.

Things came to a head when chilling laughter began to fill the room.

* * *

 _Author's Note:_

 _Wow, this chapter is the longest by far, at just over 7,000 words! I'm terribly sorry for the wait, I actually meant to have this published a week ago. I just got so busy with the dreaded college essays, and I'm still not done with those. But at least I could get an update in!_

 _So! I want to go ahead and include the very first character poll here: who's your favorite? Rather, who's the most impressionable to you? I know they haven't gotten much development, considering this is an introduction chapter, but don't worry, they will._

 _Also, you can go ahead and vote for free times, if you'd like! Akiko will be hanging out with about three or four people each chapter. So if you want some backstory, make sure you vote!_

 _And now, Review Reply Time!_

 _ashDanLand: I'm glad I can make you both curious and full of despair! I'm excited to see what you think of the OCs. :3_

 _NuetheNerd: That is some terribly bad luck! But thanks, and it seems that Josh isn't in this chapter...I wonder what could've happened to him...?_

 _Armonizzare: *Retrieves writing skills but drops them everywhere* I hope I got Amelia right! She's such an interesting character, so guys, we haven't even brushed the surface with her yet! ;)_

 _fangirlandotaku: *Dies because a model has finally been introduced* *Revives because I have to write more for said model because she is absolutely great.* And don't worry, I plan to actually finish this story, no matter how long it takes!_

 _Mike73: I'm so so glad I'm doing her justice, can't wait for you to see the next chapter!_

 _Naynay101: Much thanks to you! Akiko is fine now, but who knows what could happen later-!_

 _Well, I'll see you guys in the next chapter! The despair will be coming on, and no one will be able to escape it... ;)_


	5. Prologue End

Akiko could feel her blood running cold, an involuntary shiver coursing through her body. The other Ultimates were also surprised, shocked, and afraid because of the laughter. It was inhumanly sadistic and mocking. And before anyone could say a word, a puff of smoke arose from the empty seat at the head of the long table. Jax and Gregory, the closest to it, erupted into a coughing fit. A shape took form through the murky mist, revealing…

A small toy bear. He was snow white on one side, and jet black the other, a jagged red eye and sinister smile coupling with it. Akiko could tell that it'd come just up to her knees. It's paws were poised on its hips victoriously, and its snout was quivering with more laughter. Poor Mai was completely caught off guard, and she gave a yelp before falling out of her chair.

"Hey hey! I can still make the ladies swooooon!" It cried, winking at Gregory, who was helping the Songwriter back into her seat.

Sidney pointed a shaking finger at the bear. "W-what is that?"

"It's a stuffed animal, obviously! And pretty cool, too!" The unfazed Elena stood up to inspect it, but Akiko pulled her back down.

"Not a good idea…" she murmured, and Elena nodded.

"I'm more than a stuffed animal! I am Monokuma! Your epic overlord and master of this realm!" The bear, or Monokuma as it insisted it be called, retrieved two small flags with his face on them and waved them around. One of them jabbed Jax in his forehead, his response being a cry of outrage.

Annika chose to ignore him. "He's a special little surprise, but who's controlling him?"

"There's no Super High School Level Engineer, is there?" Jules wondered aloud.

Amelia sighed. "Does anyone else find it a little bit degrading being called "High School" level? I'm the best in my field-"

"NONE OF THIS EVEN MATTERS!" The bear, Monokuma, exploded, startling Akiko. "You all are my students, as I am your Official Chaperone on this Extended Vacation!"

Extended Vacation? Did that mean they were going to be at Skyloft more than a week? Some of the other Ultimates were lighting up at the strange creature's words, but Akiko was still unsettled.

"See? I told you guys everything was normal!" Elena exclaimed with a beaming smile. The only response to her comment was the loud _slap!_ of Jax's hand against his forehead.

"How dense can you be? This is an obvious hostile situation," he stated firmly, turning to Monokuma. "And I reckon you're going to tell us what's going on, then?"

Monokuma raised his paw, about to speak, then stopped, getting an idea. "No...you bastards are going to look around first."

"What'd you call us-?"

"-I hereby command you to investigate the hotel! Check out your rooms, the cafe, pool, whatever!" Monokuma, paws behind his back, paced back and forth across the length of the table. He was mumbling, but Akiko could pick up pieces of his words. "Yes...have them form some bonds first...it'll make things all the more shocking!"

Mona raised a hand. "What if we all prefer to know about our situation at the present moment, instead of waiting?"

The bear swatted her question out of the air like it was a pesky mosquito. "Never mind that! Just do what I say. Chaperones always have the final say, got it?"

"Okay, I'm getting rather tired of this charade," sighed Ash, getting up from his chair. "Let's just do what he says."

"Yes, he has already agreed to give us our answers if we follow his request," agreed Renzo.

Nishiki shrugged. "Couldn't hurt." He joined the group of students that immediately departed from the room, while Akiko remained with those who were unsure whether to leave or not. Monokuma had just stopped his pacing, but now looked annoyed. "Come on guys! I don't have all day, get to it!"

"We're just...looking around?" Mai asked gently, eyeing the bear's red eye with apprehension.

"Yes yes, you'll be fine! For now anyway. Now on you go!"

Before Mai could question him further, Monokuma had already shoved her out of the chair, but luckily Jules was there to catch her before she could tumble to the floor again. Akiko decided she'd rather not be dumped onto the ground, and stood up to leave. Someone tapped her shoulder as she reached the door, and she turned around to see Elena and her bright smile.

"You wanna explore with me? It'll be tons of fun, now that the second floor is open!"

Akiko returned the smile, happy that the Ringleader was taking a liking to her. She quite liked her optimistic attitude, even if at times the girl seemed a little naive. The two walked out of the conference room, straight into the second floor lobby, which connected to the top of the stairs. A few students were here, inspecting the lounge chairs and expensive light fixtures that weren't turned on yet, or staring forlornly out the large window at the beach.

"The stairs stop on this floor." Akiko and Elena were approached by Annika, who was one of the first students to leave the conference room. Strangely, she was carrying a white lamp shade. "So if we want to reach any more floors, we're going to have to take the elevator."

"Isn't that broken?" Elena remembered, scratching her chin.

"Yep, so it looks like we're pretty limited right now." answered Annika, rolling the lamp shade around in her hands. "But, this place is still huge. There's a freakin' directory on the wall over there."

"Where are the guest rooms?" Akiko asked, very eager to find her luggage and see where she was going to be sleeping.

"They're down this hall to your left-" Annika pointed to two elegant wooden doors with golden handles. "-And it appears that we have our own designated lodgings. Our names are on the doors...it was on the directory."

Elena whooped. "Wow! They even got our names on the directory. I feel special!"

Cringing, Annika agreed sarcastically "Yeah, really special. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to check out the suites."

Elena turned to her new friend excitedly. "Can we check out the directory? I want to see everything that we can do here!"

Akiko was really up for finding her room, but she still told the energetic girl yes. Elena leaped ahead, to the directory which was situated next to an elevator. When Akiko caught up with her, she was already picking out different marked destinations.

"There's a gym and a pool! And a cafe! Can we look at those first?"

"Sure," Akiko said, giving a quick glance-over at the directory. There was also a fitness room, spa, and locker rooms, which she assumed they'd save for last. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw several students heading back down the stairs. "Where are they going?"

Renzo, who was among that group, heard her and shouted over his shoulder "Monokuma unlocked the extra areas for us down here."

"Huh?"

Elena tapped the wall. "The shutters, remember? He must've opened them up." She suddenly gasped, "The Hotel Restaurant! We can't forget to look around in there, too!"

"Yeah, I hope the food is good here," Akiko said, only partially joking. She hoped there would be food at all, who knew what that bear had in store for them? But, it was probably the paranoia talking - they were just on a simple class trip. Akiko wanted to try and enjoy herself, and she knew she wasn't being her usual, bubbly self, but she couldn't shake the uneasy feeling she had. Monokuma had only served to unsettle her even more.

"I know what you mean! Whew." Elena rubbed her stomach, her tongue lolling out of her mouth. "I could use some grub. Eh, we may as well search this floor while we're here though."

Nodding, Akiko referred back to the directory to find their destination. It looked like the pool and gymnasium were side by side, down a long hall on their right. The cafe was just around the corner from the lobby, so they opted to check that out first for convenience's sake.

It consisted of an open bar, with over 50 dispensers full of different drinks and brews. Akiko took a paper cup and tried the green tea, which turned out to be steamy and delicious.

"Can't wait to mix some of these together-!" Elena schemed, rubbing her hands together.

"You aren't going to have some?" offered Akiko.

Elena shook her head grimly. "I'm gonna wait. Could be poisoned."

Akiko choked, fear causing a blockage in her throat, as Elena began a mad fit of giggles, saying "I'm joking, joking of course!"

Not taking any more chances, Akiko disposed of the rest of her tea in a nearby wastebin and the two set off for the pool. It was as expected - Olympic-sized and full of pristinely clear water. There was no artificial blue hue; it seemed like the Hotel was pumping pure water into it, though Akiko knew it was likely still full of chlorine. Along one wall were a set of hot tubs, currently devoid of water, but each large enough to house about 10 people.

Two doors, one blue and one pink, sat on the other side of the pool, marked as "Locker Rooms." After waking over to them, Akiko remarked they were separated by gender by the female and male figures on their respective door.

"Won't have to worry about any perverts, then." Elena pushed on the pink door, marked for females, then paused. She looked at Akiko, who already had a grin on her face. "You thinkin' what I'm thinkin?"

"Just a peek." her companion answered.

Smiling, Elena pushed on the blue door, which swung open an inch before Elena recoiled from it and cried out in alarm. She was gripping her hand, which was now a shade of fiery red.

"And you call men perverts. Bah!" Monokuma sprang out of the pool, shaking his wet fur and getting an impossible amount of water on both of the girls. "So hypocritical! And yet, so wise. I respect your risk-taking, upupu!"

"What the heck did you do to her!?" Akiko demanded, pointing to her friend.

Monokuma wagged a paw, like a teacher scolding a troublemaker. "Twas not me, my madam, but the electric current on the door! See that little circle?"

Akiko cautiously turned back to the door, noticing the small black sphere that was embedded into the center of the female and male figures. It was so small that anyone could've easily missed it.

"A camera?" She turned back to Monokuma, who had suddenly begun doing back strokes across a lane of the pool. How his circuitry didn't falter, she had no idea.

"I take the care of my students very seriously. I don't want any inappropriate activity going on around here, so I installed a foolproof security system for all of the changing rooms and bathrooms at this hotel! The system has already had all of your profiles downloaded, so the scanner will know who's not where they're supposed to be…"

And then he dived deep into the pool, vanishing just as a question had formed on Akiko's lips. She looked to her friend, who hissed as she sunk her hand into the cold water. "That's the stuff…"

Akiko couldn't help but chuckle at the sight. "You okay, then?"

"I'll be jus' fine, this isn't my first burn," taking her hand out of the water with a disappointed sigh. "But damn, does it hurt."

"I guess we can go through the girl's side." Akiko went first this time, wary of any shocks but believing it'd be okay. The locker room wasn't anything special, there were...lockers. A few showers sat in the back of the room, and there was a cabinet full of black swimsuits and bikinis, though Akiko was sure that most of them had already packed their own swimwear. Well, if they still _had_ their luggage.

On the other side of the locker room was another door that led to the gymnasium. It was about the size of the cavernous pool room, with a full sized basketball court and running track and a tennis and volleyball net standing off to the side, ready for use. A closet door the two girls checked revealed a manner of sports balls as well as a few first aid kits. While Akiko checked those, Elena busied herself by running along the polished floors, delighted in the squeaking sounds her shoes made.

"Wish we had an Ultimate Nurse," said Akiko, throwing the first aid kit back onto its shelf. "Some of the stuff in there looked like alien technology."

"We've got the basics though, right? I bet the only serious injury to get here is a papercut," replied Elena nonchalantly.

"You're probably right. But doesn't Monokuma seem weird to you?" Motioning for her friend to follow her, Akiko continued as the two left the gym and wandered around the hall, looking for another area of interest. "He's nothing like any chaperone I've ever seen."

Elena shrugged, obviously not bothered by him. "Hope's Peak has always been a little nutty, bub. I think it's kind of cool, honestly! Our own little robot bear!"

Frowning, Akiko said "He burned your hand."

"Well, I guess we're going to have to follow his rules? Whatever they are. But we can still make Skyloft fun! Starting with a spa-!"

Elena gestured toward an archway closed off by a flimsy blue curtain. A glowing neon sign advertised a Spa, and there was laughter and steam wafting through the entrance.

Elena didn't wait for Akiko, she bounded down the hall and through the curtain. With a groan, Akiko went in after her.

She found herself in a small lobby, with an empty receptionist desk and doors leading to different areas. The air here was full of steam, sweat was already running down Akiko's neck. Before she could wonder where to go, she heard laughter coming through the door on her right, upon entering, she had to shield her eyes with a gasp.

"P-put some clothes on!" she said, eyes shut tight.

"It's a sauna, what do you expect!" Sidney argued, adjusting his towel to make sure nothing slipped out. His companion Jules looked like he wanted to sink into the bench he was on, covering his bare chest.

Elena had already discovered the two boys, and couldn't even speak properly because of the intense laughter that racked her body.

Akiko spoke for her, a smile playing on her lips. "You guys must really be settling in, huh?"

With no shame, Sidney casually said "It's very nice in here, all my stress is just...evaporating. It's not like a hot springs, but it do."

"Have you guys checked out the other rooms?" Akiko asked.

"Not outside of the spa. But in the other rooms there's another sauna, some massage tables, and a few baths."

Elena sobered up, curious. "Baths? In a spa? Weird."

"Oh, not like...bathtubs. Japanese baths," Akiko corrected. "Think of it like a big hot tub, that you can take with friends. But you do have to wash yourself before and afterwards."

"I see…" Elena gasped, a new idea evident on her eyes. "We should all take a bath together!"

"Like...all of us?" Sidney began, suddenly interested.

Elena grimaced. "No, just the girls. It'll be fun!"

"And what are the boys to do?" Jules asked, finally deciding to speak up. He was still covering his chest though.

"I don't know, have a pool party, I guess. Or maybe you guys can get together in the sauna and enjoy each other's company~!"

Sidney missed the reference, but Jules paled immediately, stammering "N-no it's not like that-"

"But remember Elena, Monokuma said no inappropriate business!" Akiko joked, taking on a scolding tone. "So make extra sure you guys wear your towels, to protect your virtue and prevent-"

"Argh! I'm gonna go change!" Jules bolted out of the room, leaving two chuckling girls and an oblivious Sidney. "What's his problem? Sounded like a good idea to me…"

Neglecting to explain the joke to him, Akiko and Elena left, the former in much better spirits. The atmosphere didn't seem so crushing anymore, and Elena's contagious good mood was alleviating Akiko's anxiety. She was starting to think everything could really be just fine.

"Let's see the training room next, I think that's the last one on this floor." Elena suggested. The room was close by, and just what they expected: full of weights and exercising equipment. A press bench was in use, but not in the way one would expect - the SHSL Gamer, Ash Wittman, just sat on the cushioned seat, all of his attention focused on his handheld device.

Akiko was about to turn around, but Elena strode right up to him, yanking his headphones off. "Hiya bub! Did we ever introduce ourselves? My name is-"

"-Dumbass. Don't touch my things." He grabbed his headphones and jammed them back on. Akiko noticed they were a different pair from before, and she wondered just how many he had. "Talk to me when you learn some manners, _bub._ "

Elena scoffed, and Akiko took the opportunity to drag her friend away as she let loose a string of curses in an odd mix of Spanish and English. "Come on now, we have a whole 'nother floor to explore."

They backtracked to the second floor lobby, now empty, and headed down the stairs. In the first floor lobby was only one person, and it happened to be the only other person Akiko was not too fond of. Violeta Morales sat in the same chair she occupied earlier, looking at one of the now open entranceways forlornly.

"No one invited me to go with them," she muttered solemnly, not looking at the pair as they walked by her carefully. "Isn't that sad? I've already been outcast. It's only our first day."

Akiko could see the words forming on Elena's lips - she wanted to tell her tall friend not to even try, but once again, she was too late to prevent her from acting. Elena took a step forward, offering her hand. "Do ya want to come and check things out with us? It wouldn't be a bother or anything!"

Violeta finally regarded them, adjusting her poncho. She frowned, saying "You are a generous person, but I decided that even if anyone were to invite me, I wouldn't go anyway. I'm sure I'll find my way around just fine."

Undeterred, Elena continued "B-but, aren't you lonesome? You said you were feeling like an outcast?"

"Correction: I said I've already been outcast. That's a fact, you can ask Stalker back there-"

"Hey!" Akiko complained.

"-How I feel has nothing to do with the matter." She gave Elena a small smile, standing up. "However, I have done a quick check of the door behind the desk. It is still locked. And I will take a quick _looksie_ upstairs on the way to the conference room. I expect the bear will be calling us back there when you all finish...perusing the grounds." With that, she left, leaving behind a slightly angry Akiko and a slightly confused Elena.

"Well she's a weird one if I ever saw one," The Ringleader said, scratching her chin. "I thought psychologists were supposed to be the sane ones, to offset the crazies that they see every day."

Akiko sighed, crossing her arms. "I don't know if she has any business, with that attitude."

"She must have, to be invited to Hope's Peak! Maybe we should give her a chance?"

Usually Akiko was the one who suggested giving chances to people, but all the colorful personalities around here were making her rethink who she was as a person. Was this really the best of the best?

 _It's not like I can complain_ , she thought. _We're all high school students. Isn't high school about discovering yourself and goofing off before dealing with the pressures of adulthood? Dad would say so, at least._

"Yeah, maybe." Akiko said, a bit more cheerful. She wouldn't let Violeta and her mood swings ruin her recently acquired good mood. "Well, let's investigate this floor then?"

"Yep! Let's see...there's an arcade next to the front desk, and the restaurant next to that. Then there's another hallway...I don't know where that goes."

"We can try the arcade first," proposed Akiko. "There might be more people in there. I wonder if Ash knows about it…"

Elena stuck out her tongue. "Ugh, forget that guy. He needs a session with that Psychologist."

Akiko grinned. "I don't think that would turn out very well. They might end up crying together or throw swears at each other, I'm not sure."

"Both sound like great entertainment to me, bub! And trust me; I know good entertainment!"

Sharing a hearty laugh, the girls entered the darkly lit arcade, which turned out to be a pretty popular spot with their classmates. Akiko counted three of them in here, all clustered around one machine, even though there were a multitude of other ones to enjoy, including racing games, virtual reality pods and tables for ping pong and-

"Pool!" Akiko exclaimed. There was a billiards table, currently unoccupied, sitting in the middle of the room, and for Akiko, it seemed like there was a heavenly light shining down on it from above. She'd suspected Skyloft would have one, but it's always something when one sees their dreams become reality. She was itching to play, but she knew she had to finish searching the place, and see what all the hubbub was about.

"What's all the hubbub, bubs?" Elena asked, echoing her friend's thoughts. Akiko followed her over to the group, consisting of Felix, Renzo and Mai, each of them still enamoured by game. Cheesy retro fighting music blared out of the speakers, along with dramatic yelps of pain and grunts of effort. "What're you playing, exactly?"

"He's playing the original Mortal Kombat, on an _authentic_ machine!" Mai explained, gaping in awe. "You know, a lot of these were destroyed after The Tragedy and the Era of Despair."

"Even then, this machine is an original from 1992," Renzo said, eyes wide. "So as I understand it, it's very rare."

Elena looked over Felix's shoulders, who was so into the game he may not have even realized his audience had grown. His character, dressed in all white with a piece of metal over his right eye, performed a finishing move that threw his opponent to the ground, winning the match. Felix sighed, taking a moment of rest before the game threw him into another fight, which he jumped into wholeheartedly.

"Never pegged the butler to be such a _die-hard_ at this kind of stuff," Elena observed, raising a brow. "You too, bub."

"Me?" Mai asked, directing a finger at herself. She shook her head, reverting back to her quiet persona. "My cousins were the ones who were really into games. I didn't really have the time or...opportunity to play them."

"Well, you've got loads of time now!" Elena clapped her on the back. "Vacations are for letting loose and having fun! No work on my watch, got it bub?"

The Songwriter looked up into her eyes, smiling. "Okay."

"But first, I think Felix has to be released from this machine's grip, or should I say, _hook_." Renzo joked.

"He has been at it ever since we started looking around..." Mai said with a frown. "He must...really enjoy this game."

"Guess we can ask him about it later. C'mon Akiko, we've got more places to see!" Elena bid them goodbye and departed, Akiko throwing one last glance at the billiard's table before leaving with her.

"Being a butler must have it's perks, eh?" Elena giggled, walking towards the entranceway that led to the hall. "I'll bet he spends his time playing games when he's off the clock. And being to the places he's been, he must have access to all kinds of entertainment."

Akiko agreed "Probably. Where to next?"

"I have no idea what's down this hall, so let's- oh!"

On their left was a series of windows, a glass door, and another neon sign with the words " **Salon** " on them. However, they peer through the glass at the room's contents due to all of the lights being off. And Akiko also discovered that the door was locked.

"What a load of bull!" Elena stamped her foot, huffing like an angry child.

"Looks like everything isn't open, then," Akiko stated. "But it's not like there would be anything extraordinary in there. Not unless you wanted a haircut?"

"No one touches this mop but me, and I like it the way it is!" Elena answered adamantly.

Akiko pointed to the other door on the hall, a sign advertising the next store as a Boutique **.** Another line of clear windows allowed them to see a few of their classmates were inside, and browsing through rows of clothes and accessories. "Let's try in here."

"Ew, shopping." Elena's remark was full of disdain. "It always takes so long, and my mates never find what they're looking for."

"We're not shopping though, just looking around," Akiko clarified, walking inside. The store was pretty fancy, washed in pastel shades of pink and yellow, and full of expensive clothes and shoes Akiko was sure that she could never afford, nor wanted to wear. Changing rooms and mirrors sat at the back of the store, next to the check-out counter. Perfumes laid on stands scattered around the room. Various accessories and supplies littered the shelves, containing things like jewelry and handbags and even practical items, like mugs, herbal medicines. There was currently a display for sweet smelling soaps, which was where Mona was located.

"Hello," she greeted with a sweet smile, gripping a pale pink soap bar shaped like a mermaid in her hand.

Akiko waved, returning a "Hello" and also pointing to the display. "Interested in getting anything?"

"Oh no, I don't recognize this brand. One must be careful what they use, lest they suffer the repercussions of incompatible chemicals in the product and the skin," the model explained, replacing the soap to it's proper place. "Forgive me for sounding superficial…"

"You're totally okay, I understand where you're coming from!" Akiko said. "Someone of your talent must be careful about what they use and eat and drink, right?"

"Yes. I only eat healthy foods, for as my mother says, 'It is a temple, and your greatest asset.' Though having a brain certainly doesn't hurt either."

"I know what you mean!" Elena concurred, wincing. "One of my mates once loaned me some cream that was supposed to help my face look better under all the lights, but it just gave me a rash."

Mona's hands flew to her mouth with a gasp. "I'm terribly sorry that happened to you!"

"Nah, everything turned out okay! Nothing some really heavy makeup couldn't fix." Elena gave an aloof shrug. "You've got to be flexible in the show business."

"Ah yes, you must," Mona giggled. Her hands clasped together, her face suddenly falling. "However...I am troubled."

"About what?" questioned Akiko.

"I do hope Monokuma has kept our luggage somewhere safe. I am not sure I would be able to function without some of my possessions."

"They're probably in our...rooms…" Akiko trailed off, realizing her mistake. She and Elena had completely forgotten to visit the suites on the second floor, and decipher whose rooms were whose. Then again, she didn't think anyone else had either, for whatever reason.

"Perhaps! I may go check, or at least return to the Conference Room to see if Monokuma will release that information." Mona bowed, then departed.

"Oh shoot! We should probably go with her to find our rooms!" Elena said.

"We may as well wait until we finish down here." Akiko surmised. "There's only the restaurant left, right?"

Elena nodded, turning to the door, but stopping as she heard a deep grunt coming from the back of the store. She and Akiko spun around, looking over the soap display on their toes to see the Ultimate Knight trapped under a pile of clothes. "G-Gregory?"

"Fair ladies! I beseech your assistance!" He called, struggling under the heavy weight. It looked like an entire clothes rack had fallen over him. The girls ran over to him, removing the loads of dresses and skirts that buried him from the neck down. "Methinks they came out of nowhere!"

"Just what were ya doin, bub?" demanded Elena. "Picking out a nice evening gown?"

"I was assisting thy good lady, when these articles of Satan assaulted me!" He objected, finally getting a hand free. He tried to wiggle out of the pile, continuing "She be in the changing room yonder."

Before Akiko could ask who, the "good lady" popped her head through the doorway of the changing room she occupied. It was none other than Amelia Wood, the Ultimate Ballroom Dancer. "Oh dear, what's happened here?"

"You didn't hear all the commotion?" Elena challenged.

Amelia sniffed. "I was trying on this dress. I don't think I like it, it's much too gaudy for me."

"Forget about the dress!"

Akiko gripped Gregory by the shoulders, pulling hard until he managed to extract his torso, then his legs from the pile. While he mumbled his thanks, Amelia and Elena continued to go at it.

"If he managed to cause a scene, then that's his problem. I can't help it if he doesn't know how to act in a place like this."

Elena scoffed. "You've got the boy waiting on you hand and foot, I gather? Just where did these clothes come from?"

Amelia took a good look at the pile from her position at the door, then gasped. "Those are the dresses I handed off to you! And now they're all on the floor! I should've expected this-!"

"Are you even listening to me?"

"-You try and be nice, and all you get is disappointment. I knew I should've done this alone." Amelia shook her head, retreating back into the changing room before exiting a few seconds later, back in her normal attire. "Everything in here is too garish for me anyway. Looks like the stuff a child would wear."

Her nose in the air, she strode out of the store, leaving the three of them to stare after her in disbelief.

"Mayhap I made an error?" Gregory asked, standing to his feet with Akiko's assistance.

Elena pursed her lips, unbelieving that such a naive, trusting boy would get taken advantage of so harshly. Then again, he'd be the only one here to fall for it. "Don't worry about it Greggy. You're not in the wrong."

"My duty is to serve my lieges, no matter how they treat me."

"Wait, what?" Elena questioned, mouth agape. "What, she said she was a princess or something? She's not your liege."

"She's right," Akiko spoke. "We're all equals here, like Mona Lisa said earlier."

Gregory's eyes softened at the mention of Mona's name. "Ah, is Mistress _Vigenère_ still here?" Akiko was caught off guard by the unexpected question, but still informed him that she'd left a little while ago. Gregory's face fell again. "That is most displeasing. I was to see if she required any of my assistance…"

Elena cocked a brow. "I'm sure you can still catch her. She's headed upstairs."

"Oh-! Then I must see her at once! Adieu, my Good Ladies, perchance we will meet at a later time!" And with that, he ran out of the store, a frilly pink skirt caught in the waistline of his pants and trailing out behind him. Akiko and Elena could only look.

"He's so whipped," Elena muttered.

Akiko sighed. "Agreed."

Without another word, the two set off for their last unlocked location, the Hotel Restaurant. Walking inside, they were met by the sweet aroma of cooked food, wafting in from the kitchen near the back of the room. It seemed the restaurant had a "tropical island" theme, as lanterns sat on every table, and the walls had beach and ocean murals painted on them. The tables were painted green with wicker chairs, as well as a few booths along the wall, and one long dining table in the center of it all. A bar sat in the corner, but all of the alcohol had been removed, being replaced by juices with Monokuma's face on the bottles. Fans made of plastic palm fronds rotated lazily from the ceiling.

Vanamo sat at one of the tables, reading from a menu with mixed expressions. Hearing Elena and Akiko approaching, she put on a smile and waved. "Hi there."

"Hey Vanamo," Akiko greeted. "Have you seen anything interesting?"

The Gardener shook her head excitedly, then stopped, as if a sudden thought had crossed her mind. "Well, I haven't seen too many places but, this hotel menu looks pretty nice."

"Can I see it?" asked Elena.

Vanamo looked frightened for a second, but this look melted away almost as quickly as it came. She handed them each a menu she'd picked up, and the first page Akiko opened up to was full of pictures of succulent, savory foods.

"Woah," she whispered. "I've only ever heard of caviar, never eaten it. Or...seen it."

"Sirloin, scallops, rib-eye…" Elena listed off other meats, her eyes growing wider with each one. With a chuckle, Akiko gave her menu back to Vanamo.

"I don't think we'll starve at least," Vanamo stated confidently. "Someone is cooking up a storm back there. Maybe Monokuma?"

"From the way it smells, dinner should be good!" Akiko replied. Her stomach was already in growling its sentiments at the thought. She couldn't even recall the last time she'd eaten.

"I think there may be a student in there also…" Vanamo trailed off, politely indicating that she didn't want to talk anymore. Akiko could see a bead a sweat on her brow, tipping off how anxious she was. Just how long did it take for her to get in front of the cameras?

"Come on, Elena," Akiko took the Ringleader by the hand, who was still looking through the menu with interest. "Meatballs, bacon rolls, Kushiyaki…"

Entering the kitchen, the smell of food hit them with full force. Akiko could even taste it - meats and vegetables being fried, sautéed, and everything in between. And the chef behind the stove appeared to be someone neither of them expected.

"Hello ladies," Jax greeted with a wicked grin. He'd somehow acquired a tall chef's hat and apron, and was throwing ingredients around on a pan. "Fancy a taste of tempura? There'll be rice soon, too."

"Y-you're the one making-?" Elena babbled. "Aren't you that Mathematician or something?"

Jax frowned. "I am the _Strategist._ And you must be the Circus Monkey. Oh, and we can't forget Miss Stalker, over there sulking in the corner."

Akiko wailed in frustration. "Stop calling me that!"

"Whatever. What brings you here?"

Elena seemed to have missed the circus monkey comment, as she spoke in her usual cheery tone. "We could ask you the same thing! What made you start cooking, don't you know the chefs will do that for us? I don't think we're even supposed to be back here-"

"-You really must be stupid, huh?" Jax interrupted, closing his eyes as if he was in great pain. "There is no one else here, except for us Hope's Peak students. And I doubt anyone will be making any surprise visits, as I hope you remember that all the exits have been locked, or blocked off."

"We don't know that, though," Elena stepped forward, undeterred. "I'm sure Monokuma just locked the front doors for our own good! And it's not like they can't be unlocked."

"Y-yeah," Akiko murmured, suddenly unsure of herself. Shaking her head, she said "Why do you think there's something up? This is a vacation."

He snorted. "An unorthodox vacation if I've ever seen one. Be glad this is fully stocked-" He extended his arms to exemplify the full scope of the kitchen, full of fresh fruits, vegetables, and dairy products being chilled in fridges along the wall. "-Or else we'd be screwed. It'd be good to ration though, we don't know when our supply might get cut."

"It won't get cut! Stop trying to freak us out." argued Akiko, more for her own sake than anything else. The feelings of doubt were beginning to return...

Jax wagged a finger in the air, before turning off the stove and placing the pan on an unused eye. "That's what you say. People tend to stick to what they want to believe, even if their circumstances are the complete opposite. Why do _you_ think everything is _fine_?"

"B-because…" Akiko tried, and failed, to come up with a good answer. Her good mood was deflating, which seemed to be the trend when around the Ultimate Strategist.

Elena finished for her. "Because! Everything _is_ fine! We're on a Class Trip, hosted by one of the best schools in the world!"

Jax took a moment to reply, taking his fried fish and rice and placing them side by side on a plate. It was only then that Akiko realized he'd only cooked enough for himself. "That's funny. You know what else was hosted by the best school in the world, a number of years ago?"

There it was. The thing that was nagging at the back of Akiko's mind. What Jax was talking about...could it be-?

"Bah! You know this isn't anything like...that…" for the first time, Elena looked completely unsettled, but she kept on a brave face. "You don't even know anything about what happened. None of us do."

"Hmph. Because the world thought it would be best if we moved on? Forgot it all happened? We may have been very young, but I find ignorance to be such a handicap." Jax disposed of his hat, throwing it and his apron in a random corner. "They may have purged it from the books, from the internet, but you can't purge memories…"

Memories...Akiko could feel an inkling creeping around in her head. The thing that happened...all those years ago. That terrible event…

 _There's no way...everything is better now_ , Akiko thought, desperately trying to keep her sanity. _The world recovered. Nothing bad is going to happen._

All of a sudden, there was a screech from the intercom system.

"Ahem..mic check? One, two, three! One, two, three! Okay, students-! Please report back to the Conference Room, immediately! I have a special surprise for you all. And no, Greg, you can't hear what it is early~"

Monokuma finished his announcement, and the three Ultimates shared one look with each other.

"You'll see, Circus Monkey," Jax popped a piece of tempura in his mouth, then brushed by the girls, taking his plate with him. They could hear Vanamo cry out in anguish at the realization that he had hot food, but she left behind him.

"Tch. What a pain in the neck," commented Elena, her hands on her hips. "He'll be the circus monkey by the time we get this whole thing cleared up."

Akiko couldn't say anything.

"Heya bub, cheer up!" Elena threw a caring arm around Akiko. "Don't let his mumbo jumbo get to you. We're gonna go up to that Monokuma and get our answers, yeah?"

Not exactly sure she agreed, Akiko nodded anyway, allowing Elena to lead her out of the kitchen and into the lobby. They came across Mai, Felix and Renzo, who'd just left the arcade. While Elena chatted with them on their way up the stairs, Akiko withdrew into her mind. She still couldn't dredge up that itching memory that burned in her mind, but Jax's words were making things somewhat more clear. Something terrible had happened to the world, caused by a chain of events...that were similar to this one.

But what could they be?

Before she knew it, the five of them were entering the conference room, taking their original seats and looking around with varying degrees of emotion. Some looked much happier than they had the first time they were here, and others, not so much. But no one looked as worried as Akiko felt. And, they were missing one of their number. The seat to Akiko's left was empty.

Elena leaned in, whispering "Hey, where's that weird kid? Nishigo?"

 _Nishiki_ , Akiko thought, but didn't say. He was the only one she and Elena hadn't come across in their travels. Just where had he been, and where was he now?

"UNACCEPTABLE!"

Everyone jumped as Monokuma appeared out of thin air, standing on top of the long table and his cheeks a deep shade of red. "I will not tolerate tardiness! That will not do! Just what kind of first impression is he trying to make?"

"Nishiki, right?" Violeta asked. "My, how angry you are. A little unbecoming of a chaperone."

"Honey, your face is unbecoming! And that hair. Blegh." Monokuma growled. "Looks like I'm gonna have to find the - oh? A development?"

"Development?" Jax asked.

"He's on his way," informed Monokuma, now much calmer. "Won't be long now~!"

Everyone turned to the door, waiting with bated breath. After about a minute, Nishiki entered, his hair and clothes dripping wet.

"That's what you get!" Monokuma yelled, jumping on the table frantically. "Messing around with my equipment! You're lucky you don't know the rules yet, or I'd get you good!"

Nishiki shrugged, unagitated at his state. He took a seat, ignoring all of the strange looks he received, and looked towards Monokuma.

"Right, well now that everyone is present, it's time for us all to get started!" the bear continued. "You've all explored the building, correct?"

A few of them nodded as most of them frowned, having been caught up in only one place the entire time. Akiko recalled Jules in his towel, wanting to laugh but remembering just where she was right now.  
"Good, and if you haven't, there will be plenty of time for that _later_...upupupu!"

Ash, his head in his hands, groaned "Get to the point."

Monokuma sighed. "You kids, getting more and more impatient with each new generation. I swear, it's evolution taking a turn for the worse. Actually, evolution is a nice segue to _my point!_

"Which we would all love that you get to," Annika said, unimpressed.

"Hush hush! You kids know about how in nature, only the best survive! It's survival of the fittest, Charles Darwin, all that stuff, right?"

They nodded.

"Excellent! Some of you are smarter than you look. Now, my point is that this is exactly what is happening here! A survival game where you outlive the rest of your friends!"

"A game?" Jules questioned. "Kind of weird, but what is this, reality TV? Is this like that old show Survivor?"

"I beg of you all not to vote me off first!" Sidney cried dramatically, falling into a laughing fit with Jules. A few others joined them, but one or two became grim. They knew exactly what was happening. And Akiko was not far behind them.

 _A game? Just like...what happened…_

"That's the spirit, my pupils!" Monokuma beamed, paws on his hips. "A nice, wholesome, fun game! A game of life and death! A Mutual Killing Game!

The boys stopped laughing, and silence reigned over the room.

 _No,_ Akiko thought, sweat pouring down her face. _No. It couldn't be happening...again…_

"W-what the heck, man…?" Sidney stammered, his eyes wide and his lips trembling.

"Surely you jest?" Renzo said. "A joke, correct? To break the ice?"

Annika, completely pale, shook her head. "No...it's not a joke. He's serious."

"Thaaaat's right! None of you kiddies are going to be able to leave the hotel until you murder one of your classmates, and get away with it! Welcome to Another Life of Mutual Killing!"

"Another…" Jax grinned smugly, pushing away his now empty plate and turning to look back at Elena. "Believe me now?"

Elena completely disregarded him. She was staring at Monokuma in shock. "You c-can't...we're supposed to b-be on vacation!"

"My dear, you are on vacation!" exclaimed Monokuma jovially. "I urge you to have fun while you're here, since, you know, you'll be living the rest of your life here. Literally. It's called an Extended Stay for a reason."

"You fiend! You egg!" Gregory jumped out of his seat, brandishing his sword. "I'll cut thee to ribbons!"

"Whoa there, Arthur! Before you go stereotypical knight on me, you must be informed of the rules! Which reminds me…"

Disappearing under the table, Monokuma returned with a stack of small black tablets, handing one to each of them. "These are called ElectroIDs. They're my special, indestructible, waterproof babies that I suggest you _do not_ lose! You'll need them if you want to survive here."

"Are these like...our room keys, then?" asked Annika. "All of the suite doors were locked."

"Correct! Now, press the home button and get a feel for them."

Feeling dizzy, Akiko numbly did what he asked. Her full name flashed on the screen, also displaying Hope's Peak emblem before showing her a menu. She saw a tab for a map, something called "ammunition", "report cards" for all of the Ultimates, and finally, the rules. She didn't really want to open them, afraid of what she'd see, so her finger just hovered over the button. She could hear the cries of outrage from the others though.

"Hey hey hey! Quit your griping! I am a fair and generous bear. I'm so generous, that I left you all gifts inside of your rooms."

"Y-you're not generous at all…" Mai squeaked, tears streaming down her face.

"This is anything but fair, as well," said Felix, his brow furrowed as he studied his ElectroID.

Monokuma paused, a paw to his chin as he tilted his head in awe. "Eh? Did nobody tell you? Life isn't faaaaair?" Suddenly, Monokuma began stamping his feet and waved around his arms, his shrill voice reaching new levels as he wailed.

"Not fair not fair not fair not fair not fair not fair!" His tantrum was rocking the whole table around, making everyone jump out of their seats. "Not fair not fair not fair not fair not fair-!"

Throughout the screaming, Akiko managed to catch a look around the room. Jax didn't look so smug anymore. Mona's mask of quiet calm and tranquility was cracking. Annika sat still in her chair, looking deep in thought. Violeta's expression was unreadable. Amelia fanned herself feverishly, sweating profusely. Gregory was frozen, his sword still raised in the air. Sidney was praying fervently. Vanamo, utterly terrified, just hugged herself. Jules looked close to tears, and Mai _was_ in tears. Ash glanced warily at his neighbors, suspicious of everyone. Felix looked crestfallen and Renzo's hands were still clenched on the back of his chair. Elena looked shocked, angry, and betrayed, all at the same time. And Nishiki just stared at the ceiling, his eyes scanning something Akiko could not see. But she could hear him whispering.

"What happened to you-?" He said, his voice full of distress. "What did he do?"

Akiko turned back to her ElectroID, the screen now black and reflecting her scared face. She remembered how the Era of Despair started: with the Biggest, Most Awful, Most Tragic Event in Human History. The first killing games...and now she was in one.

 _But we were supposed to be safe...does this mean...another wave of Despair is coming?_

 **End Prologue**

 **16 Students Remain**

* * *

 _A/N_

 _Hello all!_

 _I'm very happy to be getting this chapter published, as I've also included a very special something! If the link works, ehehe._

 _Below are maps of the now accessible areas of the hotel._

 _Floor 1:_ imgur|com/mHjGltS

 _Floor 2_ : imgur|com/oiU6fum

 _Just replace the | with ._

 _It took me a while to make these, even though they look kind of crappy, but I hope you enjoy them all the same (My favorite room right now is looking like the sauna)! I also think it'll help with remembering the layout of the hotel. And of course, as more murders occur, more floor maps will be uploaded._

 _Speaking of murders, it looks like it won't be too long before we see the first one...who will be the first to go? Who will be the one to claim a Victim's life? It's all very exciting stuff! Let me know what you think, upupu~!_

 _OH LOOK! It's Review Reply Time! (I love doing this btw)._

 _Ash: Thanks! I love your ideas, and Ash and Jax's personalities would clash so beautifully together that it'd be a sin not to write that! *Strokes nonexistent beard*_

 _DeadKingDread97: Everyone is saying that Ash and Jax should go head to head in chess, I'd be curious how that'd turn out as well! Hmm...I wonder what would happen-?_

 _Armonizzare: I'm glad you like Amelia, but don't worry, I'm still fleshing out her character and such! G.G. and Jules certainly do stand out as well, and don't worry! We'll see Josh again..._

 _Mike73: Thanks so much for Akiko, and for all the support! You've got some pretty popular picks for Free Times, we'll see who Akiko hangs out with in a few days or so!_

 _Shun-Higinzu: Thanks, I loooove writing Jax, haha! I dig Violeta and G.G., too. B). Pretty interesting characters to say the least!_

 _dashunterman: I'm glad you like it! I'm adoring Hellreaver too, if it were real I'd cuddle with it every night (in it's sheath of course, this face is too pretty to cut up)._

 _ashDanLand: I want to see more despair too! Loads and loads! But for the sake of the readers, I'll hold myself back a bit. Maybe. And Molly is...somewhere..._

 _Naynay101: Thanks a bunch! I doubt anyone can be prepared for despair, but some will adapt quicker than others...*looks at Jax suspiciously*_

 _fangirlandotaku: I'm glad you can't decide who you like best! My job is officially done *puts on sunglasses and leaves the office, cheesy 80's music playing in the background*_

 _SatoIchinose: Glad you're enjoying the story! Don't forget to vote for the freetimes! :D_

 _MechBlade007: I'm glad you say that, this chapter was also over 7,000 words, haha! My verbiage knows no bounds. You're also right about the despair, it's certainly growing quickly!_

 _king of the lion: I'm loving writing Felix, even though we haven't seen much of him! He's certainly got an interesting history, so I hope you guys will get to see some of it in the coming chapters._

 _The next chapter will be the start of Chapter 1, meaning free times! So I need you guys to vote on who you'd like Akiko to spend time with. You can shoot me a PM until I get this poll business figured out on my page. There will be four free times this time around and each person can vote twice, so make sure you do!_

 _See you guys next time! *Evil grin*_


	6. Chapter 05

Chapter 0.5

WELCOME TO HOTEL DESPAIR

Normal Days

Akiko gripped her ElectroID with shaking hands. She'd been standing outside her room door for about ten minutes, listening to the other students arguing amongst themselves at the cafe. Her suite was at the very end of the hall, but their raised voices reached her clearly, and she could make out everything they discussed. There was lots of crying, and denial, and more than enough obscenities. She'd initially been apart of the group, but couldn't take all the negative energy anymore; plus she was too worn out to contribute to the conversation. She silently took her leave a while ago, and now she was here, too scared to even open her door. What could possibly be behind it? A rotting corpse? A serial killer, hiding under a bed? A trap set by Monokuma, like a pit full of spikes?

"A pit of spikes wouldn't make sense considering we're on the second floor, bub."

Akiko spun around, her heart racing, finding Elena with her hands in the air innocently. "C'mon bub, I'm not gonna hurtcha!"

Feeling dumb, Akiko let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, cradling her head in her hands. "I didn't even know I was thinking out loud..."

"Happens to the best of us," Elena said with a small smile, lowering her hands. An awkward silence filled the space between them. Akiko could only look at the floor. Elena spoke up again, a hint of doubt in her voice. "You aren't thinking too hard about what the bear said, are you?"

"No…" Akiko mumbled, only partially lying. She was thinking about it, how could she not? But she was certainly trying to focus on other things at the same time. Like working up the nerve to go inside her room.

Elena sighed. "Look bub, I know we don't know each other all that well, but I can assure you that I'm not going to kill anyone. I don't have an ounce of malice in me, promise!"

Her feelings weighing down on her, Akiko replied "Sure. But what about everyone else?"

"Come on, now! No one's going to kill anyone!" The Ringleader contested fiercely. When Akiko looked up, she was startled by the taller girl's bright, fierce features. "We're all high school students for Pete's sake! And no one is _that_ stupid!"

"B-but-"

"No _ifs, ands_ , or _buts_ missy! We've got to trust each other if we're gonna get out of this. The bear is the problem, not us!"

" _I find that statement ludicrous_!" Once again, Monokuma appeared out of thin air, making the two jump back in surprise as he leaped between them. Akiko dropped her ElectroID, which made a soft thump against the carpet, but was unharmed. "I'm so glad I got those things insured, high school students are so predictably unpredictable! And yet...not so much."

"Would you get your two-toned tail outta here?!" Elena accosted, quivering with anger. "You've caused enough hubbub for one day!"

Monokuma chuckled, replying "Girlie, you have utterly no idea the amount of hubbub I can generate! This little body is capable of big things, if you'd like a demonstration~?"

"I feel sick," Akiko groaned, not wanting to reach down to retrieve her tablet yet. The bear would probably just stare at her butt anyway.

"You better hope you don't catch anything, you haven't unlocked the infirmary yet!"

" _What?_ "

"Why are you dopes just waiting around in the hall like a pair of drunk solicitors?" Monokuma asked in an accusing tone. "Plotting a murder already? Didn't peg the first Blackened to be you two!"

"Urgh, just stop talking…" Elena grumbled, crossing her arms impatiently. "No one is going to kill anyone, so quit trying to egg people on."

Monokuma put a paw up to his chin in his confused response. "I'm not doing anything! I'm just trying to gauge how you're all feeling, like any good Chaperone would."

 _You're no chaperone...and you're definitely not good_ , Akiko thought, narrowing her eyes.

"It's just like Miss Stick-and-Balls said earlier, you may not feel like killing, but I can guarantee someone does! It always happens, you know. Naivety may get you to the first Class Trial, but after that, you have as good a chance of dying as everyone else!"

"What are you goin' on about, now?" Elena asked haughtily.

"I've seen many a Killing Game in my day, and it's always the same formula," Monokuma explained, giving a slight yawn as if he'd made this speech millions of times before. "There's that stupid kid who refuses to believe that anyone would kill their classmates, and _hopes_ that they can all work together to escape from their captivity. But it never ends that way. Someone cracks eventually, and then the veil is shattered!" The bear laughed, a low, cruel laugh. "Once one of you dies, you can't hope that everything will turn out okay anymore. That's the best thing in the world to witness, the moment someone realizes that everything they do, everything they work for...is pointless."

A shiver ran down Akiko's spine. He was right; once one of her classmates murdered another, there'd be no more lies to tell themselves. The unthinkable would have occurred, and there would be no excuse...to believe that everything would turn out alright.

 _A memory bubbled up to the surface...a man. Standing in front of her, holding something large and spherical in his hands. It was too dark to see, but...she could make out the shape. Utterly familiar…_

A voice rose up out of the darkness, bringing Akiko back to reality - and hard. She jumped back into her skin, her focus returning to her friend...who was laying into Monokuma like he was petty thief who'd stolen her good sense and kindness. Elena was gesturing wildly, waving her arms and pointing accusing fingers at Monokuma, a string of Spanish curses spilling continuously out of her mouth, surprising even Monokuma, who took a cautious step back. Finally, Akiko caught a set of words she recognized at the end of her tirade: " _get the hell out of here."_

Elena suddenly grabbed Akiko's wrist, and with a graceful spin of her heel, led them both away from the stunned bear to the room across the hall. She used her other hand to reach into her knee-high black boots and retrieve her own ElectroID, swiping it along the small blue card scanner embedded into the door. The door swung open, and Akiko was pushed inside, the Ringleader following close behind. Monokuma said nothing as the door slammed in his face.

"Whew, that was close," Elena sighed, leaning against the door. "Almost socked him. I'm pretty sure that's against the rules, though."

Akiko, just as stunned as Monokuma, hugged herself whilst in the center of the room. It was super dark.

Elena cursed. "Sorry. I'll find the light." Groping along the wall, her fingers flitted above a switch, which activated the overhead lights. They came to life, illuminating all of the rich features of the suite.

A lush purple ocean of carpet was the first thing that met Akiko's eyes. Looking up, she noticed an abundance of luxurious furniture, which looked as comfortable as it was expensive. A glossy white two-seater couch draped with red sheets and pillows on the ends sat along the wall, with a small flatscreen television facing it. Two more sleek, matching sofa chairs sat on either side of it, glass lamps flanking them. An ornate glass table with polished gold legs met the back of Akiko's knees as she backed away to take it all in. Turning around, she saw the queen sized bed, with pink feather-down quilts and silken white sheets, and a plethora of plush, white pillows. A birch wood dresser sat on the right side and a fancy wooden chifferobe sat on the other, a green travel bag and suitcase sitting in front of it. A closed door led to what Akiko assumed was the bathroom. And of course, the windows that were supposed to offer an enchanting view of the beach were shuttered off and bolted shut.

"Ah! My stuff!" Elena exclaimed, rushing across the room to tear into her bags. She ripped them open, investigating all the contents to make sure nothing had been tampered with, then pulling out a few items that she placed on the bed with care. Akiko watched as she stared at them, fingering the key necklace around her neck. A worn purple book, a small stuffed elephant, and an old photo Akiko couldn't see. "Thank goodness…"

Akiko, feeling awkward, dropped her hands to her side and sat down in the sofa, sinking into the upholstery. Her suspicions were confirmed, they were SUPER comfortable. "It's nice," she said slowly, convincing herself that she was totally safe.

"What'd you think was in here? A spike pit?" Elena teased, chuckling as she watched the smile curl on Akiko's lips. Turning her attention back to her three possessions, the Ringleader shook her head forlornly. "I thought he'd gotten rid of our luggage. I was so worried."

Taking a chance, Akiko asked "What is that stuff?"

Elena had no hesitation in answering her friend. "Well, this here-" she held up the little purple book, which had a lock keeping it closed and its pages a secret. "-this here is my diary. I keep all my deepest, darkest thoughts in here...well, they're not that dark, but still. No looksies!" Wagging a finger, Elena replaced the book with the next item: the stuffed elephant. She chucked it to Akiko, who managed to catch it with fumbling fingers.

 _How cute! It's got on a little tuxedo and everything,_ Akiko thought with a giggle. She could hear a crinkling sound coming from the jacket pocket as she held it. She dug her index finger in, pulling out a small slip of paper with one word written on it in childish scrawl: "Babar."

"That's my baby," Elena said, her smile full of pride. "Babar's been with me as long as I can remember."

"He's adorable," Akiko commented, feeling a tinge of whimsical, childlike wonder. She had a few stuffed animals of her own, back at home. Occasionally she'd take one (or all) of them to bed with her, to help get through the rough nights before a particularly big competition. _I sure could use one of them now..._

"Last one is this here picture," Elena announced, holding up the Polaroid. She crossed the room to show Akiko, the shorter girl placing Babar on the pillow next to her. A little girl sat on the back of an elephant, the smallest one out of three, the four of them in front of a bright circus tent. A clumsy smile was on her face as she raised one hand in a wave to the camera.

"Aw! Is this you?" Akiko asked. Elena nodded, gesturing for Akiko to turn the photo over. The back of the picture read "Elena, Walnut, Mama Peanut, and Baby Cashew." "What a happy family," remarked Akiko with a smirk.

"Pft," Elena laughed, reaching for the photo and Babar. "You've got that right. They're all so sweet, and talented too! Cashew can already shoot a jet of water 50 feet into the air! Even higher than his daddy."

Akiko gasped. "Wow, I've got to see that!"

"Just you watch, when this is all over, I'll take you guys to my circus. Free of charge!" Grabbing her friend by the shoulder, Elena sat down and gave a Akiko one of the warmest hugs she'd ever received. In her line of work, you didn't get such a valuable form of affection. Sure her dad loved her, but hugs were a rare occurrence in her house. And it felt so very...normal. She was just a teenage girl, spending time with a genuinely great person, a person she could trust. The dangers of the outside world couldn't reach her now. She didn't realize she was crying until she felt a teardrop hit the back of her hand. Elena hadn't noticed however, so she quickly wiped her eye.

"So, let's look at these rules?" suggested Akiko.

Elena nodded. She pulled her ElectroID out of her boot again, and pressed the Home button, holding the device low enough that Akiko could see as well. Her name flashed on the screen, being replaced by the menu. "Kind of fancy, I _guess._ "

"This might just be a reconstructed iPad mini?" Akiko joked. "If so, Monokuma isn't as impressive as I thought."

"It's still more than I could do with an iPad, bud! And these things are indestructible, too. Wouldn't be able to tell…"

"One of these days we've gotta test that theory." Sharing a devious grin, the girls turned their attention back to the menu, Elena thumbing the different tabs shown to her. The first four read Map, Rules, Ammunition, and Report Cards. The fifth and final tab was blank. "Weird...well, here's what we want."

Elena pulled up the rules, and began reading them aloud as they scrolled across the screen. " _Rule 1: Students will reside only in Hotel Skyloft. Leaving the grounds is not only impossible, but illegal."_

Akiko sneered. "I bet he's getting a big laugh out of that one."

Elena shrugged, continuing to read. " _Rule 2: Nighttime is from 10 pm to 7 am. Some areas are off limits during this time, so please_ bear _that in mind."_

"Bear?"

"Shh. _Rule 3: Students will sleep only in the suites provided for them, sleeping anywhere else will enact severe punishment._ Wonder if it's as severe as-" Akiko cut her off with a subtle shake of the head. Chuckling awkwardly, Elena read the next rule. " _Rule 4: With minimal restrictions, students are free to explore Skyloft as they please."_

Akiko's eyebrows shot straight up. "Isn't the elevator broken? How can we explore the rest of the hotel?"

"That must be the restriction." Elena guessed. "I think the bear said he would get to work on fixing it, but it might take a while. Then he started laughing, so I up and left. Gave me the willies." She cleared her throat, her eyes scanning the screen for the next regulation. " _Rule 5: Violence against your Chaperone is strictly prohibited, as is destruction of hotel property."_

"Damn," Akiko grumbled, clenching her fist. She really wanted to take that bear apart and glean who may have been controlling him, but it looked like that was off the table. "What else?"

"Two more, it looks like. The sixth rule is-" Elena paused, taking a moment to swallow before reciting robotically " _-anyone who kills a fellow student and becomes "blackened" will be allowed to leave the hotel alive, unless they are discovered."_

Her words made Akiko's blood cold. A murderer could leave, but only if they weren't discovered. What exactly did that mean? Would the rest of them have a chance to look for evidence that pointed someone out? "That'd make things interesting for him," Akiko whispered to herself, furrowing her brow. _Otherwise we could all just choose someone to kill and be done with it, with half of us surviving. Not like I'd actually do that…_

"Blegh. Stupid," spat Elena, scrolling with her finger until she found the final rule. "Okay, _Rule 7: More rules may be added at Monokuma's discretion._ That's way too convenient for him."

Akiko frowned. "He's already got us screwed. We can't leave, we have some kind of curfew, and we can't hurt him. I doubt he can mess with us even more than he already has."

"Gaah, bub!" Elena covered her ears, her ElectroID falling in her lap. "Don't jinx it! He can probably hear everything you're saying, and now he's cooking up something nasty!"

Her ears red, Akiko stammered an apology before Elena began giggling. "Wh-what's so funny?"

"You're so gullible! You remind me of Cashew so much, it's cute!"

Akiko punched her in the arm, giggling a bit herself. "I'm not your elephant, Elena, I can't shoot water 50 feet into the air."

"You could if you tried hard enough."

"Or if I had a trunk?" Akiko remarked, standing up. "I'd take one if it meant I didn't have to deal with this."

"You going somewhere, bub?" Elena asked, placing the tablet on the glass table.

"Yeah, my room," Akiko jerked a finger to the door. "I'm pretty sure it'll be Nighttime soon, and I don't want to get to sleep too late."

"Aww...well-" Elena frowned, absentmindedly pulling on a button from Babar's tuxedo. "-I thought we could maybe have a sleepover? I don't do well sleeping in new places without my troupe right next to me, ya know? Plus, nothing in the rule saying you gotta sleep in your _own_ room."

Akiko froze for a millisecond, then remembered who she was speaking with. Good, honest Elena. "A sleepover...sounds fun. I don't think I've ever been to one of those, my reform sch-" She stopped, about to spill too much information.

Elena nodded understandingly, then let a grin light up her face. "They're great! We can talk about the boys, or the _gals_ , if they suit your fancy more-"

"Elena! No!" Akiko cried, covering her ears like her friend had done just a moment ago. "I can't hear you!"

The girls shared some more light hearted ribbing before each taking a shower and finding some monochrome pajamas that had been placed in the chifferobe, among other distasteful articles of clothing with Monokuma's color scheme. Elena wanted to burn them, particularly an ugly black and white peacock dress, but Akiko reminded her about the "hotel property" rule. She threw it back in the closet, stating "Didn't say anything about throwing them down the garbage chute." They ended up using some of Elena's old clothes, the shirt a size too big on Akiko's frame, but not uncomfortably so.

Akiko ended up trying to find some channels on the television, but most of them were just static. The only ones to work properly were the "Monokuma Emergency Broadcast System," and "Mono Theater," which featured Monokuma starring in horrific renditions of popular movies and shows, as well as monologues about random rubbish every hour.

They didn't watch much TV.

"Bet Skyloft had some quality programming before Monokuma took over," Elena said, stretching out on the couch. The only light sources now were the lamps by the bed, making for a very cozy setting. Akiko could feel sleep tugging at her eyelids as she curled up in one of the armchairs, and knew Elena was equally as tired when she heard the yawn next to her. "Maybe someone brought a DVD, or a game console."

"Ash might've," thought Akiko. "But I doubt he'd let us use it."

"Hmph, I doubt he'd let his dying mother use it."

All of a sudden, there was a sharp peal of static as the intercom system cut on. Monokuma's voice filled the room, and Akiko could tell he was projecting it throughout the entire hotel. "Attention students!"

Elena groaned, only ceasing when Akiko put a finger up to her lips. "This might be important."

"The time is 10:00 p.m. Nighttime is now in effect, meaning the Conference Room and Hotel Restaurant are off limits. The doors will be locked momentarily, so a certain Ultimate Ballroom Dancer should _get her heinie_ moving. The water in your rooms has been turned off as well, so I hope you sweaty monkeys took your showers! I would like to wish you all a good night, and I hope you enjoy your stay at Skyloft! Sweet dreams~!"

The intercom shut off, causing Elena to scoff in contempt. "He wants us to kill each other, but wishes us goodnight. What a class act."

Akiko shrugged, a yawn creeping out of her mouth. She stood up, waiting patiently for Elena to move so she could make her bed on the couch. Elena gazed up at her quizzically.

"You get the bed, bub. And there'll be no discussion on the issue," the Ringleader said firmly. She retrieved a blanket she'd stashed at the foot of the couch, a fuzzy blue one with dancing cashews printed on it. "I refuse to be a bad host. Monokuma be damned."

Giving up before she could even contest the issue, Akiko sighed and headed to the bed, turning off the lamps before climbing under the luxurious sheets. "Night, Elena."

"Night 'Kiko."

It was some time before Akiko had to reposition her body in order to get more comfortable. The mattress was soft, and the sheets had enveloped her in a warm heaven that made it easy to close her eyes and drift off. So it was quite a surprise when she felt the cold steel of a hatchet slice against her leg.

* * *

 _Author's Note_

 _Hello again! Hope none of you thought I was gone for good, that'd be terrible! It's been a hectic last few months for me, I was bombarded with work: lots of college apps to finish and essays to write. Thank God I finished most of them... I promised I'd finish this story no matter how long it took, so don't worry!_

 _I also know this chapter is shorter than usual, but I wanted to upload a quick little thing to satiate your gnawing hunger for an update on Akiko's soon to be horrific life. This is also why it's titled Chapter 0.5, though it will technically be a part of Chapter 1 once that has been uploaded (and don't worry, I'm writing that right now!), so another update should be soon. Again, I want to thank the ones who voted on the Freetimes; those will be started next chapter, and I'll be replying to more Reviews from last chapter (and this one, if anyone leaves any) in the next one as well.. Does anyone else love those as much as I do? I absolutely adore hearing from you guys, you have no idea~!_

 _So I hope you enjoyed this! Question for you guys: what do you think will happen to Akiko within the next five minutes?_

 _Happy reading, and happy despairing! Upupu..._


	7. Chapter 1-1

With a wild screech, Akiko fell out of the bed, weighing the sheets down with her. Her senses went haywire, but she could hone in on the warm wetness running down her calf. Blood. Her blood.

She kept screaming, flapping her arms about like a bird with clipped wings, hearing Elena's own cry of alarm from the couch. Adrenaline seeping into her bones, Akiko kicked the covers away from her shaking body, her friend rushing over to help - and then tripping over Akiko's ankles. Elena went down with the ship, her head colliding with the bed frame and collapsing onto Akiko who yelped as she had no idea who was on top of her. The light, I have to get the light...

Akiko untangled herself from Elena's stunned form, and clawed for the bedside lamp. Once on, the light illuminated all of the chaos she'd just reigned: Elena, rubbing her bruised head with clear agitation and confusion with the bed sheets forming a twisting snake around her. There were splotches of wet red amidst the pearly white linen, which caused Akiko's blood to curdle.

"What the hell, bub!" Elena groaned, still on the floor. "What's gotten into you now?"

Akiko's lip trembled as she answered "S-something in the sh-sheet…"

"Sheet?" cautiously, Elena picked up the covers, shaking them until a long, solid object tumbled onto the floor. A hatchet, gleaming in the pale yellow light, and spotted with Akiko's dark red blood. "W-what-"

"-I see you've found the surprise!" The girls, their hearts in their throats, cowered against the wall as Monokuma appeared on top of the bed in a red sleeping cap. "Nice, isn't it? There's lots you can do with an axe, and if you've got a basic understanding of human anatomy-"

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Elena shouted, dropping the sheets and pointing her finger at the grinning bear. "Look at what you did to Akiko!"

"Gahahaha! She did that to herself'" Monokuma cackled, leaping onto the floor to pick up the lethal weapon. "I just hid it in the sheets. Frankly, it was pure negligence on her part. Don't you know you always check where you sleep before you make your nest?"

Elena continued her angry assault. "Why is it even here?!"

Monokuma sighed "I told you guys in the Conference Room, it's your gifts! Everyone's got a randomized weapon, to get the Killing Party started with a bang! Just think of alll the murders you could pull off with a knife, or a club, or poison, or even a gun! I am such a good Host…"

Akiko's heart stopped. "Someone...has a gun?"

"Upupupu...I know that's a big advantage, so don't worry! There's only three bullets loaded into it, for reasons I will specify later. You better hope whoever possesses it has very bad aim."

Akiko threw a glance at her friend, who no longer looked angry, but looked tired and weary. "Please...just leave," Elena muttered, her eyes downcast. "And take that damn thing with you."

"Nope! I don't do returns." Monokuma dropped the hatchet with a clatter, then ran behind the bed and vanished.

"That bastard.." Elena took a despairing look at Akiko's left leg, which was now covered in sweat and blood. "I'm so sorry."

Akiko swallowed, then put on a brave face. "It doesn't even hurt that much."

The Ringleader scoffed. "Must be the adrenaline. Let's get you patched up."

A cursory review of the bathroom revealed a basic First Aid kit in the medicine cabinet, containing a roll of gauze and antiseptic that Akiko used to clean and dress her wound. She'd also tried to get some water to calm her nerves, but the bear's words were true when he said he'd cut off access to the sink and shower pipes.

"Not bad, I think" Akiko surmised. She surveyed her now bandaged leg, which wasn't soaking through with blood like she thought would've happened. The improbable, gory image was more than likely projected by her paranoia. "The cut wasn't deep and it's stopped bleeding."

Elena closed her eyes in quiet relief, sinking back into the couch and rubbing the sore spot on her forehead absentmindedly. "I swear, I had no idea that bloody thing was there."

"I know that Elena, it's okay." Sure her calf was throbbing, but she knew there was no malice inside of her new friend. But a cold piece of her calculated the possibility...Elena had never been inside of the room before, and there was no room on her person to hide such a large object. There was also never any opportunity to place the hatchet so deep in the sheets, as Akiko had been with her all night. Elena was clean.

Wait, what am I saying? Elena can be trusted, Akiko thought, shaking her head. I can't let that bear get to me.

"While you were in the bathroom, I checked the sheets again, and the mattress," Elena affirmed, patting the re-made bed. "You're totally good now...if you still want to sleep over."

Akiko smiled. "Of course I do. But-" she took a wary glance at the sheets, parts of it still dotted with her blood.

Elena grimaced. "Oh, I forgot about that…"

Akiko chuckled bitterly. "I'll just take the floor."

* * *

Elena sat at the largest table in the restaurant with agitation clear on her face. Her smaller companion didn't know how to alleviate the mood, and instead focused on ignoring the throbbing in her leg. The two were one of the earliest to convene in the restaurant, which was the discussed location of meeting the night prior. The only other ones there were Vanamo, who gave them a wary smile when they entered but offered nothing else, and surprisingly Ash, who didn't so much as glance in their direction. Elena wasn't in the mood to chat anyways, so Akiko had no viable conversation partner. Thankfully, it wasn't long before people began trickling in. Soon, the table was almost filled with bodies.

"Please excuse my late arrival," Mona Lisa apologized, walking gracefully to a seat beside Amelia. "I had a rather...troubling sleep."

"I think we all did," Elena growled suddenly, startling Akiko. "That bear has gone too far." Looking at everyone's faces, Akiko could tell many of her companions had been shocked by Monokuma's "presents" last night. Again she was reminded of the throbbing in her leg.

Jax, the last to arrive, leisurely sat at a smaller table off to the side, looking as refreshed as ever. Taking a look at Akiko's long face, he chuckled. "Why is everyone looking so...ugly?"

Mona Lisa paled slightly, adjusting her curls carefully. Scoffing, Annika snipped "I take it you weren't so lucky as to find what we did."

Jax blinked. "Oh, the revolver? A nasty, old little thing; I decided not to touch it."

At the mention of a gun, all of the students froze, the shock evident in their expression. Jax narrowed his eyes, asking "Did everyone not get the same thing?"

Renzo shook his head sadly. "I received a harpoon. Kind of ironic, but not very laughable."

"I got a big knife. It's kind of square-ish?" Sidney said, holding up his hands for emphasis."

Felix sighed. "I told you it's called a butcher's knife."

Mai murmured something under her breath; when Annika asked her to repeat it, she spoke "I got a bow and some arrows."

Elena leaped up, slamming her hands on the table, making the quiet girl whimper in surprise. "Well you know what we got? An axe to the leg!" the Ringleader gestured to Akiko, who only stared down into her lap. "Bub here got cut up pretty bad because that bear decided to hide it in the bedsheets!"

Jax opened his mouth to speak, but instead began a fit of high-pitched giggles that didn't match up with his overall demeanor.

Elena seethed "Something funny, then?"

Wiping a tear from his eyes, Jax responded "I just...I can't imagine how hilarious watching you freak out over a little cut would be...ehehehe..."

"It ain't a little cut! We had to put bandages on it and everything!" she argued. Akiko sighed, tugging on her friend's arm to get her to sit down. However, Elena sat down not in a hard wooden seat, but on soft, plush fur.

"Hey, the only one who can sit on my face is-"

"-Gyaaaah!"

Elena scrambled to the floor, almost knocking Jules out of his seat. Monokuma stood up, wiping himself off and jumping onto the table. "There, now that I have your attention-"

"-Wha-did you look up her shorts?!" Mai questioned, holding down the bottom of her skirt.

"Pervert…" Amelia sniffed.

Monokuma huffed. "Hey! I'm a respectable citizen of the bear community! And also the perfect gentleman~!"

"Define gentle?" Violeta asked.

"Anyways, I see you all enjoyed my gifts! I tried very hard to be accommodating, but a Host isn't a Host until he breaks out the goodie bags."

"You have gifted us tools of death, you fiend!" Gregory said, pointing his finger at Monokuma's wide mug.

The bear shrugged. "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I think they're all perfectly fine! Now you guys should have no problem getting this Life of Mutual Killing started!"

"Don't you get it bear?" Annika crossed her arms defiantly. "No one is killing another human being, and you're out of your mind if you think otherwise."

Ash snorted, and Monokuma chuckled. "Mr. Moody has the right idea," their Chaperone said. "All you hopefuls say the same stuff, but before long, someone is going to end up with a knife in their back. Or maybe a hatchet? A harpoon? Ooh, you know what? I've never seen a sickle tear through human flesh before…"

Wincing, Gregory laid his head onto the table, moaning "there goes my appetite."

Monokuma waved his hand dismissively. "You guys just give it some time, it'll happen! And if it doesn't…well I've got some other ideas to get the ball rollin'!"

And with that, he winked back out of existence, ducking under the table. Mai once again grabbed the bottom of her skirt.

There was a long silence as everyone pondered whether anyone would actually act on Monokuma's threats. Akiko knew the bear could certainly come up with nastier ideas, but there were already doubts swirling around in her Classmates' heads. She didn't know these people, and she didn't know how badly they wanted to leave.

How badly did she want to leave?

"Anyone else hungry?" Jules asked suddenly. At the mention of food, several people looked up.

"I have a gnawing so great I could devour the leg of a dragon!" Gregory wailed. "Who here be skilled with meat?"

Jax chuckled again, but both Renzo and Felix raised their hands. Annika nodded, stating "I can hold my own in the kitchen as well."

"F-from what I understand, Monokuma has supplied us with an indefinite amount of fresh food," Vanamo explained. "We just have to worry about who is preparing it…"

"The three of us can take turns, yeah?" Renzo said. "Or we can all handle kitchen duty together?"

"That many people working in a kitchen? It'll be a mess if you're total amateurs," Jax said with a smirk. "Which I don't doubt."

"We aren't one of your probably many servants." Annika spat. "We can certainly try cooking together. I've never made food for so many people."

Felix, standing up, said "It's not terribly difficult. I'll direct you." The three departed into the kitchen, with another person standing up to leave: Nishiki.

"Going somewhere?" Sidney asked. Nishiki ignored him, stepping out of the Restaurant and into the lobby. Ash looked like he wanted to leave too, but his growling stomach kept him floored to his seat.

"If he doesn't want to eat, it's his loss," Amelia said haughtily. "The more for us to enjoy ourselves."

"I am happy to eat with you all, but my diet requires some very...specific options. I fear I may have to notify our chefs…" Mona stood, flattening her hoop skirt as she walked into the kitchen. Grinning, Jax remarked "With those extensions, shed better steer clear of fire."

Elena grumbled "You're terrible…"

The remaining students chatted idly amongst each other, with Elena significantly calm enough to speak without damning Monokuma in every sentence. The mood was lightened even more once the three chefs and Mona returned with plates full of Western-styled breakfast: bacon and scrambled eggs, toast with butter and jam, pancakes in syrup, and glasses full of orange juice. For Mona, a simple salad lightly drizzled with some sort of sauce and eggs sunny side up. As the three gave everyone their plates, all chatter stopped and all eyes were filled with awe.

"Really nice spread, guys!" Akiko complimented, eyeing the pancakes.

Throwing a glance at the sneering Strategist, Annika responded "It wasn't that difficult."

"Don't get upset for me being skeptical, the half of you lot look like you've never even seen a whisk," Jax remarked.

Sidney scratched his ear, his brows furrowed in concentration. "A whisk? That's a kitchen utensil, right?"

Jax smiled. "I rest my case."

"Would you guys kindly shut up and eat?" Ash groaned, shoveling eggs in his mouth.

Annika finally sat down with her own plate, sighing forlornly. "We have to discuss some things first, before anyone else leaves."

"You mean the weapons?" Vanamo asked, pecking at her pancakes.

"I say we just throw them in the pool," said Amelia. "Nothing to worry about then."

Jules, looking horrified, shook his head. "That's littering and...Monokuma said we could be punished for that."

"Plus I'm an excellent swimmer!" Elena added. "Who's to say I wouldn't just dive into the deep end and pick up a knife?"

"We can all agree that Amelia's idea is stupid," Jax said. Ignoring Amelia's shout of aggravation, he continued. "If I'm honest, it would be impossible to get rid of them, as throwing them in the trash would only constitute as more littering."

"Really?" Akiko wondered. "That doesn't seem right. Why couldn't we do it that way?"

"Monokuma gave us these as gifts. You don't just throw away a gift. Also, they probably count as Hotel property that can't be destroyed." Jax shrugged. "On top of all that, it's just rude behavior."

"He is like the epitome of rude," Sidney contested. "But you're probably right."

"Okay, destroying them is out. Why don't we lock them up?" Annika suggested.

"That is not a bad idea," said Mona Lisa. "However, where could we hide them? The only rooms that we have to lock are our own."

Grimacing, Jules asked "Who would be willing to sleep with all those weapons near them?"

"The better question is, who can be trusted with such a responsibility?" Violeta broke her silence, making Gregory jump, who'd completely forgotten she was sitting next to him. "Who among us could be trusted with all of those tools at their disposal and not decide to use them on us?" As crazy as she was, Akio had to admit the girl had a point.

"Eh, what about her?" Sidney pointed to Mai, who quivered under his glance. "I'd rather not...thank you…" she murmured.

Thinking for a bit, Akiko pondered "Maybe the suites aren't the best place. We need somewhere neutral."

Retrieving her ElectroID, Annika opened the map function, scanning the rooms on the screen until her finger hovered above one in particular. "Here. The conference room."

Renzo nodded. "It could work. In plain sight, as they say."

"So you get all the weapons in one place. Then what?" questioned Jax. "A killer would just have their pick and be off to chop someone up."

"Milord, I request that I undertake the responsibility of watching over them!" Gregory announced boldly, standing up with a triumphant fists on his hips. "I will gladly give my life to ensure that thou are safe!"

"A guard?" Elena asked. "You sure you want to do that, bub? You'll probably be keeping watch for a long time..."

"'Tis my duty, milady!" he responded, a grin breaking over his face. "Thou cannot call me an Ultimate Knight for no reason!"

Annika nodded. "That sounds good, but I think you should have someone to keep you company. Or at least, someone to switch off with you. You'll need to sleep and eat sometime."

"Bah! I can survive the harshest winter alone in the the foul forests of Transylvania with nothing but the clothes on my back and a coconut!"

Jules gaped. "A-a coconut? They don't even grow in Transylvania-!"

Mona frowned. "I do trust your judgment Gregory, but I don't want you, or any of us to take on such a hardship alone."

Gregory grew sheepish at her words, sitting back down and whispering "Milady should have more faith in her loyal servant."

"Gregory, it's for the good of everyone! We want to help, too." Akiko said. "We are your friends; you don't serve us, and we don't control you."

Elena, Mona and Sidney nodded their affirmation, while Felix gave the knight a small smile. "believe me, it is very hard restraining myself from waiting on everyone hand and foot, but I've recognized that no one here is my superior. You must...enjoy yourself here, despite the circumstances."

Gregory blinked, seemingly lost in thought, then nodded. "Alright. I will...depend on you all from now on! Just as I want you to depend on me!"

Jax sighed, looking disappointed. "There are such glaring holes in this plan, but I suppose I'll follow it. No need rocking the boat this early on."

Vanamo squeaked "W-why would you do that anyways?"

Ignoring the both of them, Annika stated "We've got a game plan. Why don't we tell the others to gather their weapons and take them to the Conference room? Before that however, I want to give the room a once over to ensure it's safe enough."

Gregory stood, grabbing his now empty plate. "And I will take first watch!"

"I'll switch with you whenever you're willing," said Annika, and the two gave each other a triumphant high five before taking their plates to the kitchen and departing. "Remember guys, we need those weapons ASAP. No exceptions. Meet back here at 8 for dinner!" she called as she left. Their meeting adjourned, most of the students deposited their plates in the kitchen and left the Restaurant as well. Felix and Jules took one look at the kitchen doors before the both of them got up to wash the dishes, laughing as they saw they were about to perform the same action out of habit. They decided to do it together, leaving Elena, Akiko, Vanamo and Mai alone at the table.

"You guys waiting for something?" Elena asked before standing up and stretching, finally finished with her breakfast.

Vanamo bit her lip, saying "I'm going to wait until the halls aren't so full of people...with weapons." Mai agreed, but also wasn't finished with her breakfast (which she wasn't really eating anyway). "Well be along…"

Bidding farewell, Akiko and Elena left their plates with the Butler and Janitor and traveled back to the second floor, passing Gregory in front of the open Conference Room doors and a few other students on their way back to the suites. True enough, Renzo was gifted a sharp harpoon, which he held carefully. Mona carted a pitchfork, and Amelia dragged a mace behind her, grunting with the effort. There was no Gregory around to help her this time…

"Ugh, this whole thing is whacko, bub." Elena complained, rubbing the back of her head. "I mean, that Ramsey guy has a freaking gun! What's Monokuma even thinking?"

"Nothing good," Akiko answered. "But if everyone cooperates, we shouldn't have any problems."

"They'd better cooperate, or they'll taste the bottom of my boot-!"

Akiko laughed. Despite these despair-inducing circumstances, she was grateful her new friend was helping keep her spirits up to their usually high level.

They stopped in front of Elena's door, Akiko almost following the taller girl into her suite before remembering she had her own job to do. "I'll meet you out here, then" she said, Elena nodding before going to retrieve the hatchet. Akiko turned around, facing her own door before realizing she didn't have her ElectroID to unlock it. That was right, she dropped it when Monokuma and Elena had their spat the night before.

Kneeling on the carpet, she scanned the floor for her ID. It should've been right in front of the door, but there was no sign of it. She began to crawl, her heart sinking as she kept looking. she came to the realization that her ElectroID was gone when Elena exited her suite and asked why the heck she was on the ground. Even with the Ringleader joining the search, all the way down the hall, they didn't find it. And Akiko doubted that it sprouted legs and ran off.

Someone had stolen it.

* * *

 _A/N_

 _Hullo all! I know I promised last chapter that this chapter would be up "soon" - that soon turned into another week, then another few weeks, then another few months...schoolwork only seems to get worse in the second semester. So, thank you guys so much for being patient with me._

 _But, I'm happy to get back into the swing of things! More drama is arising and the stage is setting for a murder. Poor Akiko can't even catch a break, can she? The good news is, the very next chapter will feature our first two Free Times, Jax Ramsey and Violeta Morales taking the lead in our polls! You all should enjoy Jax's in particular, upupu! The next two will be added in the chapter afterwards._

 _Later on, I will also be adding Chapter 0.5 to the beginning of this one, so if you think you've read it twice that's probably why. This is going to be the official start of Chapter 1, Normal Days._

 _And now, review time!_

 _Shun-Higinzu: Will your ship sail? Will it sink? Will it fly? Only time will tell! Though Jax and Violeta would definitely make an interesting couple._

 _DeadKingDread97: If Ash gets punished for mouthing off to Monokuma, then they all would at this rate..._

 _ashDanLand: Thank you! I'm not sure if you can change your vote, but if you shoot me a PM explaining who you meant then I'll take that!_

 _King of the Lion: I love them all, too! You should also feel sorry for everyone, not just Felix...;)_

 _SatoIchonese: *reads review three times, laughing giddily to myself* It would certainly be interesting if she were the Mastermind...there's a big (though equal) chance she is!_

 _Mike73: Upupu...upupupuUPUPUPUPUPU! But seriously, thanks! I hope you grow to like more of the characters as I begin fleshing them out in the coming chapters, and these Free Times should lend some more characterization to some of them too! And of course, once they've been put under the stress from a murder, we'll see some of their true colors hm?_

 _fangirlandotaku: Mona will need more than prayers; maybe some salt and talismans to keep Monokuma's evil spirits away. Heh, I'm just kidding. (Or am I? Nishiki_ IS _a paranormal investigator after all...)_

 _MechBlade007: I can't promise that he'll live, but I can promise to do him some justice! Probably. Hopefully. As for whether it's a nightmare...? Her life is about to become one, so you're half-right._

 _Naynay101: I hope she survives, too! Oh, you meant the hatchet thing? Yeah, she's okay now. But later on...? I just don't knoooooow..._

 _Aureate Praetor: I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far! I'd love to hear some theories, even though I can't really tell you if any of them are correct, upupu._

 _Wow, I say "upupu" alot, huh?_

 _Well, I'll see you next chapter!_


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